Second Chances
by loveroffiction89
Summary: Dean Winchester is a hunter turned demon. Andi Summers is a girl running from her past. When the two meet at a little diner in Lebanon, neither expect to fall so hard for the other. But when it seems trouble is coming at them from all sides, will it destroy their second chance at happiness?
1. Chapter 1

The door to the diner swung open as Andi made her way inside. It was crowded as usual but luckily her favorite seat at the counter was still available. Hurrying, she went over and plopped exhaustedly into the tall chair. Her friend/roommate, Sarah, held up one finger before continuing to scribble a couple's order on a small notepad. Andi nodded her understanding and ran her fingers through her long brown hair, closing her eyes as she sighed. She heard someone rapping their knuckles against the counter.

"Long day?" Sarah asked as she smiled sympathetically at her friend, her spikey bleach-blonde hair looked sharp enough to poke someone's eye out. Standing a full 5', Sarah was hardly tall enough to see over the counter herself but what she lacked in size she made up for in bubbly personality. Since moving here a little over a year ago, Andi couldn't remember a single irritable customer coming into the diner who didn't leave with a smile on their face because of Sarah. It was she who had first befriended Andi, letting a complete stranger move in with her, and then helping her find a job homeschooling the Millers' three rambunctious children.

Snorting, Andi gave Sarah a half-smile and replied, "Long day doesn't begin to describe it. I'm trying to help Joe with his algebra when all of a sudden I hear this god-awful screech coming from the upstairs bathroom. I run upstairs only to find Krissy trying to bathe the damn cat. After getting the crap scratched out of my arms and nearly losing a finger, I go back to the living room where Joe is now sitting on top of his younger brother, playing the stop hitting yourself game. And the fun didn't stop there." Andi rested her head on the cool countertop, her hair draping around her shoulders.

Sarah giggled. "Well, it's Friday. You've got all weekend to recuperate. Sit at home and relax. Or drink it off. Ya know, whatever. You want dinner?"

"No, just the usual," Andi mumbled through the waterfall of hair. Sitting up, she watched as Sarah bounced her way into the kitchen. She shook her head and smiled. She could already feel her weariness melting away at the prospect of two days without the little rug rats.

Within a few minutes, Sarah brought out a whopping piece of hot cherry pie topped with vanilla ice cream. Raising an eyebrow, Andi looked up and said, "What? No apple?"

"Nope. Tall, dark, and handsome took the last piece. Now, if you don't mind, I have a job to do," she winked as she walked away.

"Damn it," Andi muttered but quickly picked up her fork, about to dive in anyway. Just before her fork touched the pie, the guy beside her loudly cleared his throat. Glancing over, she noticed for the first time the tall man who was sitting there, leaning forward with his arms resting on the counter. He was cute. Ok, cute was an understatement. He was beautiful. Her heart hammered in her chest as she took in those hazel green eyes and long eye lashes. Five o'clock shadow covered his strong jaw and light freckles dotted his nose. Noticing his leather jacket, black t-shirt, jeans, and boots, Andi thought he seemed like your typical tough guy but there was something in his eyes. Confidence was unquestionably there but also something else. Wariness perhaps? She wasn't sure what it was but she believed that eyes were the windows to the soul and there was more to this guy than just a pretty face. She got the uncontrollable urge to find out who he really was.

Her gaze traveled to the counter where she found a piece of untouched apple pie. She looked back up at the guy to find him smiling smugly at her. "Tall, dark, and handsome I presume?" she smiled sweetly as she turned to face him. "I don't suppose you'd be interested in a trade would you?"

Smile broadening, he answered, "Well, I don't know. You see, apple pie is kinda my favorite. I couldn't just trade her out without making sure there was a better offer. And I'm not too sure cherry pie is a trade up."

Andi bit her lower lip playfully. Turning back around suddenly, she announced, "You're right. Better to stick with the apple. Of course, the cherry is hot and fresh and topped with the best homemade ice cream in Lebanon." She paused to make sure Sarah and the other waitresses were occupied elsewhere before continuing. "And, oops, looks like the waitress is just too busy to come back and give you a scoop. By the time she makes it back over here, your pie will be gone or just too cold to enjoy it fully. Guess I should thank you for making the right decision." Smiling, she picked up her fork again and glanced at the handsome devil out of the corner of her eye.

"Now let's not be too hasty," he said holding up a hand to stop her. When she turned back to him, he continued, "I'd hate to make a rotten day worse by not letting you have your favorite pie."

Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Andi replied, "What's your name, Sparky?"

He looked at her steadily for a moment before answering, "Dean."

"Dean," Andi leaned in close and whispered, "thank you." Quick as lightning, she switched the pies, grabbed her fork, and took a huge bite.

Dean chuckled as he tasted his own pie. "No, thank you," he said around a mouthful of pie and ice cream, savoring the flavor. "Definitely the best ice cream in town." Just then, the man next to Dean nudged him and whispered something to him. "Damn it," Dean cursed as he shoveled the rest of the pie into his mouth and threw some cash on the counter. They both stood and started toward the door, her eyes following them curiously. Just before he left, Dean turned around and called back to her, "Hey, I didn't catch your name."

"Andi," she answered, surprisingly pleased that he was interested.

Dean gave her one last grin as he said, "See ya around, Andi."

As the door shut behind him, Andi turned back to her pie, smiling as she took another bite.

* * *

As he started up the Impala, Dean glanced longingly back at the diner. He'd noticed Andi as soon as she sat down beside him. Long tan legs covered by jean shorts about half-way up her thighs were the first thing to catch his attention. Thick, loose brown curls trailed down her back and, if he wasn't mistaken, a hint of a tattoo peeked out around the edges of her olive green tank top. Angel wings maybe? She was definitely hard to miss especially with those large, mesmerizing amber eyes and full lips. Usually, most women leered at him as if he were nothing more than a piece of meat. Another notch on their sticks of sexual conquests. But Andi hadn't. When she looked at him, she had really looked at him, like she was trying to read all of his secrets. It was both strange and frightening.

"Earth to Dean," Sam said as he waved his hand in front of Dean's nose.

Snapping out of his wonderings, Dean took a deep breath and retorted, "Yeah, yeah. I'm going." Turning his attention back to the task at hand, he put Baby in reverse and proceeded to pull out of the parking lot.

"Pretty girl got you all frazzled?" Sam teased, grinning impishly at his brother.

Dean rolled his eyes and smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about. She wanted to trade pies so we traded pies."

Sam looked at him incredulously and responded, "Dude, you were flirting about pie. And **she** initiated it! You mean to tell me that there's actually a beautiful woman out there that loves pie and Dean Winchester is not gonna go after her?"

Irritated, Dean replied roughly, "Oh shut up, Sammy. It's not gonna go anywhere because it **never can **go anywhere. Look what happened with Lisa and Ben? The life we have is just too jacked up for stuff like that. If Andi found out what I really do, she'd just think I was a monster." Dean rubbed his forearm, where the Mark of Cain was concealed beneath his shirt sleeve.

Silence filled the car. Both boys, serious now, looked straight ahead at the red light in front of them. Finally, after a moment, Sam looked over at Dean and said, "Dean, we do deserve to have a little happiness. Yeah, we've done some messed up stuff but we've also saved a ton of people."

The light turned green and Dean proceeded to pull forward. Sighing, he ignored Sam's last comment and instead asked, "So where are we goin?"

Shaking his head at Dean's stubbornness, Sam pulled out the newspaper he'd been reading in the diner. "Just a couple of towns over actually. A man was put in the hospital after being hit by his own car. Said he saw his dead wife just before the car started on its own and ran him over, breaking both of his legs."

"Alright," Dean nodded and continued, "So what? Probably looking at a vengeful spirit? A little salt. A little fire. We'll be back in time for breakfast."

…

A few hours later, the boys opened the door to Peter Johansson's room, careful not to alert the nurses that they were there after visiting hours. Peter lay in his uncomfortable hospital bed, both legs bound in casts. His eyes, surrounded by dark circles from lack of sleep, were wide open and constantly shifted around the room.

"Mr. Johansson, my name is Agent Livgren. This is Agent Garcia. We need to ask you a few questions about your wife's death," Dean lied smoothly as the door clicked shut. He and Sam flashed their badges in his direction.

"It was a car accident. Brakes went out. That's what the report says. Why is the FBI interested anyway?" he replied, his eyes still darting back and forth and never looking at the brothers.

Sam stepped forward and insisted, "We're not your typical agents. You also said that you saw a ghost just before getting hit by your car? Why don't you tell us about that?"

Just then, the lights began to flicker. The color drained from Peter's face as he lifted a shaky hand and pointed to the far corner of the room. Standing there was the deceased Mrs. Johansson. She glared at her husband as she threw herself toward him snarling.

Dean quickly pulled out his gun and blasted rock salt right into the spirit's head, causing her to temporarily disappear. Looking over at the cowering man in the bed, he demanded, "Listen, dude, if you want our help, you better tell us what the hell happened. And try the truth this time."

Hands covering his face, Peter took a few minutes before finally replying in a hushed voice, "I caught her cheating on me. She swore it was only a one-time thing. That she was just lonely because of how much I'd been working and that she was sorry, but I was so…jealous and angry that I couldn't stand it. I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to make her pay. So…I cut the brake line in her car." Tears started to roll down his face as he explained. "Please help me. I don't want to die."

Dean snorted and shook his head while Sam crossed his muscular arms and inquired, "Where is she buried?"

"In the cemetery just a few blocks down. Can you help me?" Peter asked, his voice sounding hopeful.

Ignoring the question, Sam looked at Dean, "I'll take care of the body. You stay here in case the ghost comes back."

"I don't want to babysit this bastard. Personally, I think we should put his ass in a salt circle, go take care of the body, and not even worry about him," Dean sneered as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I can hear you," Peter started to say, insulted, but immediately shut up at the glaring look Dean gave him. Sam patted Dean on the shoulder encouragingly and left the room.

Huffing, Dean made himself as comfortable as he could in the chair next to Peter's bed, his gun resting on his knees. Though not asleep, Peter had wisely decided to keep his mouth shut and his eyes on the lookout for his dead wife. It was going to be a long wait.

Dean couldn't help but wonder why people with normal lives insisted on screwing them up. Cheating, murder, and a crap ton of other ways that ordinary people decided were worth rearranging their lives for. He would give anything to have an average life with everyday problems. Unbidden, an image of Andi crept into his mind, smiling and flirtatious. What would have happened if they weren't interrupted by the job? If Dean was allowed to talk to her, get to know her, go on a few dates? Would it have worked out or would it have fallen apart?

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Dean realized how tired he was. He was tired of wondering about the what ifs, of constantly shoving aside the things he wanted. Sam had said they deserved a little happiness every now and then. Maybe he was right. Maybe, just for a little while, he could pretend to be normal guy with a normal life and be happy for the first time since he had to leave Ben and Lisa, even if it was short lived. He didn't have to tell Andi what was really out there or what he and Sam did for a living. If it ever got to the point, he could always avoid bringing her back to the bunker and if it didn't work out then she would just consider him another mistake she'd made in her life. No one had to get hurt.

Coming out of his reverie, Dean glanced at his watch and realized it was already midnight. Sam should be almost finished by now, hopefully. Suddenly, the lights above him flickered again. Dean cocked his gun and stood, scanning the room for any sign of Mrs. Johansson. He could hear Peter breathing heavily with terror from the bed.

Abruptly, the angry spirit appeared right in front of Dean, her dark eyes glaring at him maliciously. He held up his gun to blast her but she was quick, grabbing the barrel and flinging him into the wall on the far side of the room. The gun flew away from Dean and went off as he crashed into the wall, sliding to the floor.

Immobilized, Peter screamed from his bed, his eyes wide with fear and panic. "No! Please, April! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

April Johansson was unaffected by her husband's pleas as she stood over him. Striking swiftly, she dug her pointed fingernails into Peter's chest. He shrieked with pain as Dean hurriedly cast about the room for his gun. Just as April lifted her hand to attack Peter again, her body went rigid and then burst into quick flames before vanishing.

Gasping, Peter clutched his bleeding chest and wondered, "What happened? Where…where did she go?"

Locating his gun, Dean grabbed it as he replied, "Sam salted and burned her body. Her spirit is at rest so we won't be seeing her again. Although, when the police come to question you, and they will be here to question you about that cut brake line, I suggest you tell them the truth or you **will** be seeing me again. And next time, I won't be so friendly."

* * *

Sitting quietly in her booth at the back of the diner, Andi blew on her hot coffee before taking a sip. Rain pelted the window beside of her; people hurried to get indoors. Hoping to get a glimpse of Dean again, she'd come to the diner for the past two days and had even taken to sitting by the window but she hadn't had any luck. Sarah had told her that she'd first saw Dean and his brother around town about a year ago, just before Andi had arrived, but had never actually met them. She knew they lived outside of town but she wasn't sure where.

Sighing, Andi decided she was certifiably nuts. There was no way a guy like that would be interested in her and she shouldn't be interested in him. Not with her past haunting her. Not after what happened to her family. Honestly, she should be moving on. She'd been here long enough. Too long, really. But meeting him Friday night was all she could seem to think about and the prospect of seeing him again was just too tempting. If she could just stay for a little bit longer…

"Excuse me," a deep voice suddenly beside her said, startling her. She'd been so deep in thought that she hadn't even heard anyone approach. Andi peered up into Dean's stunning hazel green eyes, reminders of her past forgotten at once. A grin spread across his face as he continued, "There seems to be nowhere to sit. Mind if I sit with you?"

Andi looked around the basically empty diner. Every seat was open except a couple chairs at the counter and a booth here and there. Turning her eyes back to Dean, she smiled alluringly in reply. "Well, if you have to."

Within five seconds of Dean sliding into the seat opposite her, Sarah bopped over with another cup of steaming coffee and a huge piece of apple pie. Winking at Andi, she discreetly set two forks near the plate and flounced back to the bar where she pretended to busy herself with cleaning the already spotless countertop. Andi couldn't help but chuckle as she took another sip of coffee, hoping it would hide the blush that was creeping up her cheeks. It didn't.

"Is your friend suggesting something?" Dean teased as he picked up one fork and handed her the other.

Accepting the utensil, Andi shrugged and feigned ignorance, "I don't know what you're talking about. This is perfectly normal Sarah behavior. She always hands out two forks, you know, just in case you drop one or have to share a pie with a stranger. It's ingenious actually."

"My mistake," Dean laughed as he took in a mouthful of pie. After swallowing, he tilted his head and mused, "So Andi is short for…Andrea?"

Stabbing a piece of her own, Andi nodded, "Yep. Andrea Summers but Dad always called me Andi so it just kinda of stuck."

"Do your parents live in Lebanon?" Dean inquired, picking up his coffee.

Andi looked down quickly at the plate between them. Oddly, she got the urge to tell him the truth. She wasn't sure if it was just the need to finally tell someone or if the way he was looking at her had something to do with it, like this normal conversation was a breath of fresh air to him. Squelching the abrupt impulse, she finally looked up and replied evenly, "No. They died in Boston a few years ago. They were the only family I had so I just packed up and left. I didn't see a reason to stick around."

Nodding his understanding, Dean sighed, "I'm sorry. I know how that is. My mom died in a house fire when I was little and we moved around a lot. Then I lost my dad a while back. My younger brother Sam is all I have left."

Tactfully, Andi decided it was best to veer away from such a sensitive topic. "Was he here with you the other night?"

"Yeah, that's him. The jolly green giant," Dean joked, a small smile returning to his handsome face. "So other than trick people out of their pie and failing at being a child whisperer, what else do you do?"

Laughing, Andi retorted, "Wait a minute. I did not trick you out of your pie. And I highly doubt that you could last one day with the nightmare triplets."

"Oh I think it would surprise you what nightmares I can handle," Dean grinned mischievously. Andi didn't have time to wonder what he meant by that because Sarah chose that moment to return to their table.

"Sorry, guys, but the manager said it's closing time and if you don't get out now, he's gonna lock you inside," Sarah said as she grabbed the leftover pie and two coffee cups. She grinned widely as she turned and walked back to the kitchen.

Grimacing, Andi grabbed her purse and said, "Crap. I forgot they close early on Sundays. Sorry, Joe!"

They heard a mumbled answer from the kitchen but couldn't quite make it out. Sarah came back out, car keys and umbrella in hand, and waited for them by the door. They left some money with one of the other waitresses and walked out.

As they headed to their respective cars, Andi stopped and looked up at Dean, "Well, thanks for…whatever that was. I guess I'll see you around."

"How 'bout tomorrow?" Dean suggested eagerly as he leaned against the passenger door of a beautiful Impala. "Meet me here around 6?"

Andi pursed her lips and tried not to look like someone who hadn't had a date in five years. Grinning, she answered, "Ok. 6 it is. See ya tomorrow." Turning, she opened the door to Sarah's car. She gave Dean one last smile as she climbed inside. Surprisingly, Sarah managed to contain her enthusiasm for her friend until they pulled out of the parking lot where she then proceeded to scream shrilly with excitement.

Andi quickly covered her ears, a huge grin spreading across her face. Looking back in the side mirror, she watched as Dean raised both his fists in triumph before getting in his own car. She couldn't help but laugh as they continued the drive home.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean drummed his fingers nervously on the bathroom sink before picking up his electric razor. Running it along his jaw, he painstakingly made sure all the stubble was gone, leaving perfectly smooth skin in its place. After cleaning off the sink so Sam wouldn't bitch, he tightened the towel around his waist and walked down the hall to his room. Grabbing a pair of dark blue jeans out of his dresser, Dean pulled them on and began to sift through his collection of plaid shirts when he heard the door slowly creak open followed by a low chuckle behind him. Turning around, he saw his brother looming in the doorway, his tall figure leaning against the frame.

"Going out with Andi again I see. Ya know, you're kinda cute when you're nervous," Sam harassed, ducking the boot Dean threw at him. "Two showers in one day and now you're carefully picking out your attire. Somebody has big plans for tonight." Sam wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Roughly grabbing a blue shirt, Dean turned around and jabbed a finger good-naturedly in Sam's direction, "Careful, Sammy. Don't think for a minute that I won't kick your giant moose ass."

Sam held his hands up in surrender, laughing loudly. "Ok. Ok. Wouldn't want you getting all sweaty and have to take a third shower. So I take it things are going good?"

Smiling automatically, Dean pulled on a gray t-shirt before slipping his well-built arms through the sleeves of the plaid one, not bothering to button it up. "So far. I mean, she obviously doesn't know anything about the family business or the shit I've done, and other than that I try to stick to the truth as much as possible, but with her it's…I don't know, man. She's just…awesome. Hell, she even likes your sorry ass," Dean recalled the couple of times they had hung out with Sam as he tried to explain his relationship without sounding like a total whipped douche.

Truth be told, he really liked Andi and the past few weeks they'd gone out had been the best he'd had in a long time. She was a little quieter than he was used to and showed no interest in the western films he enjoyed but she had a great sense of humor. There was also something reassuring about her presence. Being with her made him feel like all the terrible things that had happened to him and the choices he'd had to make were not proof that he was unlovable but rather the opposite. Chuckling, Dean remembered that no matter how calm and fragile Andi Summers might seem, nothing could be further from the truth. You definitely did not want to piss her off.

A sleazy trucker was passing through town last week and had decided that Andi was worth his less than honorable attentions. Dean had just pulled up in front of the diner, which they had designated as their unofficial meeting place, in time to see the bastard roughly grab her arm and spin her into his chest, hands brazenly groping her backside. Seething with rage and trying to keep his eyes from changing to demon black, Dean jumped out of the Impala and quickly made his way across the street where the two were standing. What he saw made him stop in the middle of the road, jaw dropping in surprise. Andi, sweet and delicate Andi, had kneed the son of a bitch in the jewels and sucker punched him, knocking him to the hard ground, and immediately started to kick the shit out of him. Dean ran over and pulled Andi away kicking and screaming, "YOU SICK BASTARD! NO MEANS NO, YOU FUCKTARD!" Dean had never been so impressed and couldn't help but smile to himself as he dragged her away.

Coming back to the present, he noticed Sam was smiling at him idiotically. Sam batted his eye lashes mockingly. Dean rolled his eyes and grabbed the keys to Baby. "Well, as much as I'd love to stand around chatting, I got a beautiful woman to pick up," he said smugly as he nudged his way past Sam. Not giving his brother any more chances to razz him, Dean walked quickly through the bunker and bounded out the front door.

Once inside the comfortable familiarity of the Impala, Dean took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel tightly. Tonight, he hoped to get a little farther in the physical game with Andi. He'd tried to take things slow with her, slower than he had with any other woman. Hell, he'd never taken it slow, but with her it felt different. He had tried to kiss her once but she had pulled back, suddenly apprehensive. But when she had met him the next day, her walls were back down and she acted as if nothing had happened. Shaking his head, Dean reminded himself that it was only a matter of time before this whole thing blew up but he still wanted it to be good for as long as he could. Starting Baby up, Dean finally forced himself to calm down and drove toward town to Sarah and Andi's house.

Andi sat on the edge of her bed taking one deep calming breath after the other, same as she did every time she and Dean went out. This was a bad idea. She knew it had been from the start but she had finally made up her mind that this was the last night. It had to be. She was already getting in too deep with Dean as it was and she couldn't risk his or Sarah's life anymore. Even Sam wasn't safe. Remembering that he was all Dean had left had made Andi's decision a little easier. She refused to be the reason Dean lost any more family. With her clothes and a few essentials already packed and hidden carefully in her closet where Sarah wouldn't discover it, all Andi had to do was slip out quietly after she got back from her date. She'd walk or hitchhike her way to the next town and then wing it from there.

Suddenly she felt very tired. Just thinking about having to run away again exhausted her. Putting her head in her hands, Andi squeezed her eyes shut and tried to not to change her mind. She had to do this. Not just for herself but for Sam, Dean, and Sarah.

Her head jerked up as she heard a soft knock on her door. Speak of the devil. "Come in," Andi called out as she willed herself to act normally and quickly scanned the room to make sure nothing was amiss.

Sarah poked her spikey blonde head in, a smile lighting up her pretty face. "So…Are you ready? Let me take a look!" She bounced excitedly into the bedroom and twirled one finger in the air, indicating for Andi to turn around.

Standing up and holding out her arms, Andi turned slowly so that Sarah could survey her outfit. Since she wasn't sure where Dean was taking her, Andi had chosen her favorite pair of skinny jeans and a black lace shirt, a bright pink camisole underneath. Silver bangles jingled on her wrist. She came to a halt, gazing at her friend expectantly. Sarah narrowed her eyebrows in concentration as she walked over to get a better look. Decidedly, she reached up and pulled out the clip that was holding half of Andi's thick hair back and ran her fingers through her brown curls, allowing them to frame her face.

"There we go. Now you're perfect!" she exclaimed, satisfied by her alteration. "Dean won't be able to keep his eyes off of you. Or his hands if you're lucky."

Andi laughed appropriately, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and trying to ignore the stab of longing she felt at the idea. She usually avoided dates and handsome men as a rule but Dean Winchester made her feel safe, which is something she hadn't felt in a long time. Not to mention the other feelings he stirred inside of her. She was definitely making the right decision. She needed to get away before things went too far and someone got hurt.

The doorbell rang. "Coming!" Sarah singsonged toward the door. Turning back to Andi, she beamed and said, "I think that's him. Are you ready?"

Was she ready? Not even a little. She bucked at the idea of leaving the first place that had felt like home in years. The realization slammed into Andi that this would be the last time she'd see this charismatic, wonderfully childlike woman who had become her best friend. Biting her lower lip to keep it from trembling, she flung her arms around the petite woman and hugged her tightly. "Thanks, Sarah," she said a little thickly.

Sarah returned her hug with a strong one of her own. "You're welcome, honey," she chuckled as she patted Andi's back. When Andi didn't release her immediately, she pulled back, placing her hands on Andi's shoulders. "Andi, are you ok?" she asked worriedly.

Andi composed herself quickly and flashed a smile. "Yeah, I'm just, you know, nervous…about the date. I'll see you later ok?" she grabbed her purse and ran downstairs to open the front door, followed by Sarah.

Dean grinned cheekily at her as she opened the door, his hands shoved in his pockets. She couldn't keep her breath from hitching a little. He looked more like a god than anyone had a right to. His eyes widened a little as they took in her appearance. "Hey. You look great. Ready to go?"

"Thanks," she replied, her cheeks reddening, as she stepped outside. Glancing back inside as she shut the door, Andi saw Sarah, a huge smile on her face, nodding enthusiastically and giving her two thumbs up. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"So where are we going?" she asked curiously as Dean opened the passenger door for her. It didn't escape her notice how his shirt showed off his well-built arms and how the gray undershirt stretched over his muscular chest. Taking a deep breath, she tried to squash the butterflies that were welling up in her stomach.

Dean shook his head and answered mischievously, "Sorry, but that's for me to know and you to find out." He shut her door, quickly made his way to the other side, and slid in.

…

About an hour later, Andi found herself sitting at a small wooden table in a karaoke bar sipping on her beer and munching on French fries left over from her and Dean's dinner. They had wolfed down the burgers in record time. The place was packed. Tables were shoved close together and almost every seat was taken. She and Dean watched as one person after the other took to the stage to belt out their rendition of a favorite song. Some were really good. Some were really bad. And others were just god-awful. But those were the ones that Andi and Dean, along with everyone else apparently, enjoyed the most. Instead of booing them off stage, the onlookers clapped and cheered at their bravery. Of course, the alcohol could have something to do with it but Andi didn't care. She was having a blast.

As the last person exited the stage, a gentleman who was obviously the manager walked up. Smiling broadly, he grabbed the mic and said, "I hope you guys are enjoying yourselves this evening." The audience cheered and shouted in response. "As many of you know, Friday is Couple's Night. So do we have any volunteers?" Hands went up all over the room as one of the band members took a spotlight and shined it over everyone's heads.

"Do you sing?" Dean leaned over close so she could hear him but when she turned to him they were closer than planned.

Andi could feel his breath on her face, his lips only inches away from hers. She had to resist the strong urge to close the distance and kiss him. "Only in the shower," she managed to get out, watching as Dean's eyes traveled from her eyes to her mouth and then back again. Light lit up their faces and, shielding their eyes, Andi and Dean turned their attention back to the front.

"Well, it seems the band has picked a couple! Come on up, guys," the manager smiled as he gestured to the stage.

Andi and Dean sat in their seats dumbfounded. Eyes wide, they stared at each other. Each waiting for the other to make a decision. Seeing their reluctance, the audience began to shout encouragements.

"Oh what the hell," Dean pushed back his chair as he stood, half smiling and holding a hand out to Andi. Smiling nervously, she took a big gulp of beer, grabbed his strong hand, and allowed him to lead her up front.

The pair stood on stage nervously. Andi could feel her palms getting sweaty as she gripped her mic tightly. Glancing at Dean, he smiled at her reassuringly. The band began to play as words flashed on a small screen set in front of them. _Don't Stop Believin'_. She sighed, relieved. At least it was a song she knew.

Lyrics lit up in pink so she took a deep, calming breath and began, "_Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere_."

She stopped when the words turned blue and Dean continued in his deep voice, "_Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit. He took the midnight train going anywhere._ _A singer in a smokey room, a smell of wine and cheap perfume, for a smile they can share the night_."

Together: "_It goes on and on and on and on. Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard. Their shadows searching in the night. Streetlights, people, livin' just to find emotion, hidin' somewhere in the night_."

They were a little off key but the people didn't seem to care. They clapped and shouted their approval. Andi began to loosen up and she could see Dean was as well. She smiled as Dean turned toward her, a huge grin spread across his striking face. Both of them sang for all they were worth, swaying their hips and shoulders in time with the music. Andi couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun.

When they were finished, the audience stood and applauded. Dean snaked his arm around her waist as they both took a bow. Laughing, they returned to their seats. The rest of the evening passed in much the same way. Laughing, singing along, holding hands. It was perfect and Andi was more than a little sad to see it end.

On the way back, they blared Dean's classic rock tapes, singing to the top of their lungs. As Dean pulled up in front of her house and turned the music down, Andi unbuckled her seat belt and turned toward him. "Dean, that was… amazing. I haven't had that much fun in a really long time," she told him honestly.

"Yeah, me either," Dean replied, grinning broadly. Dean reached over to brush away a lock of hair that had fallen in her face. His eyes caught hers and his hand lingered on her soft cheek.

Andi felt her heart thrumming in chest as she looked into Dean's green eyes. This time, the butterflies refused to be squashed. This couldn't happen. She needed to get out of the car, grab her bags, and leave with the wonderful memories Dean Winchester had given her. But as she gazed into those bright eyes and felt his warm hand resting on her face, she found herself moving forward instead of back. Dean tilted his head and sealed the last few inches between them. His lips were surprisingly soft and gentle against hers. She could feel his hand slide into her thick hair, gripping it firmly. As his lips parted hers, Andi felt his shuddering breath, or maybe it was hers. She couldn't tell. Grasping his shirt collar, she slid closer to him and deepened the kiss. She felt her brain go fuzzy as his free hand wrapped around her small waist. Her back tingled as if invisible fingers were dancing along her spine.

Reason forced its way to the forefront of her mind. Eyes snapping open, Andi pushed herself away, breathing heavily. Hand flying to the door handle, she couldn't bring herself to look at Dean as she said flatly, "I have to go." She practically jumped out of the car, slamming the door behind her.

"Andi? Hold on a minute. Andi!"

She could hear the confusion in his voice as he stepped out of the car but she refused to stop. If she stopped, she'd never be able to force herself to leave. So she flew up the sidewalk and into the dark house, shutting the door firmly behind her. Her back pressed against the cool wood, Andi stood there until she could hear the Impala roaring down the street. Tears trickled down her cheeks.

Wiping them away angrily, Andi tiptoed upstairs so she wouldn't wake Sarah. Flipping the light on her room, she went to her closet and grabbed her bags. She took out the note she had written for Sarah explaining that she needed to leave and laid it on her dresser. Of course, Andi couldn't tell her the whole truth but the least she could do is leave her some sort of explanation. Shouldering her bags, she looked around the room that had been hers for the last year. Ignoring the pain, she turned toward the door before halting suddenly.

The front door had been unlocked. No lights were on in the house. True, it was late but Sarah had always left a light on for her and never had she forgotten to lock the doors. A very bad feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. As quietly as she could, Andi crept down the hallway to Sarah's room. Cracking open the door, she could tell the bed was empty. This was bad. This was very, very bad. Heart slamming inside of her, Andi wished with all her might that she could call Dean. But she couldn't. This was her problem.

Not even worrying about the noise she made now, she ran down the stairs and into the living room, turning on the first light she came to. Sarah was laying on her back in the middle of the floor. Steeling herself for the worst, Andi slowly made her way over to her friend. Kneeling down, she could see blood streaming from bite marks on her neck and pooling on the hard wooden floor but Andi could see that by some miracle she was still breathing.

"Andrea Summers. It's been a long time," a smooth voice off to the side spoke charmingly.

The sound of that voice brought back a flood of painful memories. Suddenly, Andi was standing in her parents' living room five years earlier, her arm looped through her boyfriend's. Jeremy Bryant was every woman's dream. Tall, dark hair, wicked smile, and incredibly handsome. Andi had been infatuated with him and was never out of his sight for longer than necessary. After hearing all about the man who had captured their daughter's heart, her parents naturally wanted to meet him. Oh, Jeremy had certainly charmed them with his polite mannerisms and goals for his future. They were all crazy about him.

Exactly two weeks later, Andi received a phone call. Her weeping mother could barely speak as she told Andi that the police had found her father's body near the park after he had gone for his evening walk. Gripping the table as she sank to the floor, Andi listened as her mother explained about the bite marks, an animal attack.

Three days after the funeral, Andi decided to check on her grief stricken mother. She'd tried to go back to her normal routine of teaching her second grade class but now she felt like she'd gone back too soon. Maybe visiting her mom would help them both. Not bothering to knock, she opened the door and went straight to the kitchen where she knew her mother would be warming up one of the casseroles their neighbors had generously given her.

"Mom, it's me. I thought I'd drop by and…" Andi stood paralyzed by shock at the sight before her. Jeremy, her Jeremy, gripped her mother's body close to his, his mouth pressed to her neck.

Looking up, Jeremy grinned a bloody smile, revealing sharp, pointed fangs that extended beyond his top and bottom teeth. The teeth retracted back into his gums as he let her mother's lifeless body fall to the floor. "Andi, I was just having dinner with your mother," he said sweetly as if nothing out of the ordinary were happening.

"What the hell are you?" Andi demanded as she slowly began to back away, eyes wide with horror.

Chuckling, Jeremy gestured to himself. "Don't you know? I'm a vampire, sweetheart. Families are my…specialty, you might say."

Understanding dawned in Andi's eyes. So many little things that she had dismissed made sense now. "You killed my father?" she asked quietly, her mind still trying to reject what was clearly standing before her.

Faster than she would have thought possible, Jeremy stood before her, smiling proudly, and added, "And your mother." Lifting up a strand of her brown hair, he sniffed it longingly before leaning in close to her face. "You're the only one left, Andi. But I won't kill you today. No, killing you now would ruin my fun. I think I'll let you dwell on the fact that there is nothing that you can do about your fate. See ya around, Andi Summers." With that, he was gone, leaving Andi standing alone in the kitchen with her mother's body just a few feet in front of her.

Collapsing to the floor, Andi wrapped her arms around herself and sobbed. She was alone. Not only was she alone, but her boyfriend, her sadistic vampire boyfriend, was going to torture her with her own death. Andi rocked back and forth as grief, terror, and shock crashed down upon her again and again.

Tearfully, she looked at her mother, laying cold and still on the kitchen floor. This was her fault. She had brought Jeremy to her parents. It was her fault they were dead. Rage began to build up inside her. If she was going to die, she certainly wasn't going to make it easy. Grabbing the phone, she dialed 911 and told them she had found her mother in the kitchen with a horrible animal bite on her neck. When the medics arrived, they found the back door open and concluded that was how the animal was able to get in.

Andi watched as they drove off with her mother's body before going back to her own house, grabbing everything she could fit into a backpack and small suitcase, and left Boston behind her. She didn't tell anyone where she was going. She didn't know herself. All she knew was that if Jeremy wanted to suck all the blood out of her body then he was going to have to track her to the damn ends of the earth.

Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye brought Andi back to the present. She watched as the vampire sauntered toward her, a smug smile on his evil face. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her afraid so she looked at him unwaveringly. Standing up, she lifted her chin defiantly, "Hello, Jeremy."


	3. Chapter 3

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration as he drove back to the bunker. He did not understand that woman. Not at all. Thinking back, he knew he had not misread the look in Andi's eyes as he leaned in to kiss her. He definitely hadn't imagined the way her body responded to his touch. So why had she run off like that? Pulling over, he rubbed his eyes roughly. Tonight had been amazing. For him anyway. Being with Andi made him forget that he wasn't exactly human and seeing that smile light up her face as she sang was just…wow. But when they'd kissed something had happened. Even though she'd tried to hide it, he'd seen something in her eyes when she pulled away. Fear maybe?

Maybe it was better this way. After only five weeks, he was already getting attached to her. He should just cut his losses now while he could and never think about her again. However, his gut was telling him to go back. Dean wasn't sure why but he had a bad feeling about leaving her by herself. Of course, Sarah was there so she wasn't really alone. Andi would be fine. Nevertheless, Dean turned Baby around and quickly drove back to Andi's house, tires screeching as he sped off.

Within five minutes, Dean was parking the Impala across the street. Grabbing the First Blade out of the glove box without a second thought, he got out of the car and shut his door as quietly as he could, not willing to let anyone know he was there yet. He shoved the Blade into the back of his jeans, covering the handle with his shirt. Noticing a light on in the living room, he decided to just peek in the window to make sure she was alright and then he'd be on his way. He looked around to make sure no one was around before he crept through the grass toward the window. Luckily, the curtain was pulled back just enough to see inside.

Through the window, he could clearly spot Andi. But something was wrong. Her body was rigid and her eyes were full of both defiance and terror. Towering above her was a dark haired man, a malicious smile spreading across his attractive face. Dean didn't remember ever seeing him around town before. Whoever he was, he reached out a hand and stroked Andi's cheek, running his hand along her jaw and tipping her chin up roughly with his index finger. The motion went straight through Dean, causing him to feel jealousy and rage. As the stranger's large hand caressed her slender neck, Andi must have said something sarcastic, judging by the derisive look on her face, because the smile disappeared from his face only to be replaced by rows of sharp fangs.

"Shit!" Dean exclaimed angrily, rushing back toward the front door. Bursting inside, he was just in time to see the vamp slam Andi against a mirror, shards of glass falling to the floor. Both of their heads jerked up as they noticed his presence. "Let her go, you son of a bitch," he ground out through clenched teeth.

The vampire merely chuckled, clearly not taking Dean seriously. "A lone hunter against a vampire. I'm terrified. I assume your offer is if I let the damsel in distress go then you won't kill me? Isn't that how the negotiations usually go?" he mocked, his grip tightening on Andi slightly.

"Who said anything about letting you live?" Dean smiled cruelly as he drew the Blade. His hold tight on the leather handle, Dean could feel the power of it surge through him. The familiar desire to spill blood filled him. Smiling harshly, he once again addressed the monster, "Let. Her. Go."

Any trace of humor vanished from the vampire's face. His hand fell from Andi's throat and landed at his side, leaving Andi standing amid the broken pieces of the mirror with her wide eyes darting between Dean and the vamp. Stepping away slowly, he couldn't hide the panic in his voice as he said, "A demon? Why does a demon care about a human?" Not giving Dean a chance to retort, the vampire bared his fangs and lunged toward him.

Just before the vamp tackled him, Dean sidestepped quickly, turning his body as he did so. Bringing the Blade up as he turned, he slammed it down onto the vampire's neck sending his head rolling across the floor, his body flying forward and crashing into the wall from the force of his run. Dean wiped the Blade off on his pants and tucked it back into his jeans, forcing himself to release it. He took deep breaths to calm himself as the Blade's influence slowly left him. Bracing himself for Andi's reaction, he took a deep breath and slowly turned to face her. The cat was out of the bag now. He had to tell her the truth.

His heart sank. Andi stared up at him, her amber eyes wide with what he assumed was fear, her body pressed up against the wall behind her. Raising his hands, he slowly walked toward her. "It's ok, Andi. He's dead and he can't hurt you," he said calmly. Her face contorted in confusion as she continued to look at him warily. "Are you ok? Did he bite you?" She shook her head, her eyes never leaving his face.

Coming to stop in front of her, Dean caught a glimpse of his reflection in the shards that still clung to the broken mirror. Black, soulless eyes stared back at him. No wonder Andi was terrified of him. "Damn it," he whispered angrily, clinching his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again. Looking back into the mirror, Dean saw his usual green eyes in the reflection. He turned his gaze back to Andi.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. Let me just grab the body and you'll never have to see me again," he told her, not able to keep the disappointment and bitterness out of his voice. Turning, he hurriedly grabbed the body and the head and walked out of the house, glad that it was late so no one would see him toting this particular cargo around.

How could he have been so stupid? How could he have possibly thought that this would end well? She could have died because of him. Thinking of how she looked at him, Dean felt sick. She knew what he was now. Nothing more than a monster. Flinging the body on the ground, he pulled out his keys and unlocked the trunk. God, he was an idiot.

As he slammed the trunk shut, body and head hidden inside, Dean heard Andi hesitantly say, "Dean…" He hadn't even heard her follow him. Surprised, he turned toward her as she continued, "Jeremy bit Sarah. Is she gonna…Is she going to become a vampire?" Her voice shook with worry for her friend.

"I don't know," he answered, suddenly exhausted. He had been so focused on saving Andi that he hadn't even noticed Sarah. "If she consumed his blood then…But if she didn't then she should be ok." He didn't want to give her false hope but he couldn't stand to let her down again. "I should take her with me. Sam and I can watch out for her until we're sure she'll be ok."

Nodding, Andi said decisively, "Ok. I'm coming with you."

"No. No way. There's no point is having a secret hideout if everyone knows where it is," Dean replied obstinately. Andi was already too close to this life style and Dean refused to introduce her to anymore.

Crossing her arms, Andi unwaveringly glared at Dean. "You are not leaving me behind, Dean. I **have **to make sure she's going to be ok."

She didn't trust him. Dean didn't really blame her but he couldn't help but feeling a little hurt. Sighing, he stomped off toward the house and called over his shoulder, "Fine. Get in the car and I'll get Sarah."

Inside, he found Sarah lying in the middle of the living room floor and scooped her up in his strong arms. The wound on her neck was still bleeding but it didn't look like she'd consumed any blood. Still, he'd rather get her to the bunker where he and Sam could keep an eye on her for a few hours. He didn't want to think about what would happen if Sarah was changing or what it would do to Andi. Dean looked around the room somberly and resigned himself to the fact that this was his life. He was never going to be able to escape it, not even for a minute.

Andi stared out of the window of the Impala as Dean sped back to wherever he and Sam lived. Turning, she glanced at Sarah laying in the back seat. She was still breathing and Dean had gotten the bleeding to stop but she was still worried about her friend. Sarah had gotten hurt because of her and if she didn't make it…Andi believed that Dean and Sam would take care of her but if it came to that, Sarah didn't deserve to die alone with two men who didn't really know her. A knot forming in her throat, Andi righted herself and stared straight ahead blankly.

"You said his name was Jeremy? Did you know him?" she heard Dean ask, his usually cheerful voice taking on a harsher tone. Or maybe this was how he usually sounded. Andi had no idea who this man sitting next to her was now.

Turning toward Dean, she answered, "Yeah. It's a long story." Dean didn't ask anymore questions and she didn't volunteer anymore information. Andi didn't mean to sound so severe but she was still trying to process what had transpired. She'd had five years to understand the existence of vampires but demons and… What had Jeremy called Dean? A hunter? She had no idea what that was. What other "fictitious" monsters were out there? Her head started to pound.

Shortly, Andi walked with Dean, carrying Sarah in his arms, into a lavish bunker. Bookcases covered much of the wall space with leather chairs scattered about the main room. Staring open-mouthed, Andi peered around the room, noticing that it was quite large. From where she stood, she could see a kitchen and a library that was filled with even more books. Feeling like a curious child, she had to suppress the urge to go exploring.

Sam bounded out of the library, holding a thick book in his large hands. "Hey, Dean. How was your…" his question went unfinished as he saw an unconscious Sarah in Dean's arms and Andi standing next to him. Becoming serious instantly, Sam rushed forward, tossing the book on a nearby chair, and said, "What happened?"

"Vampire attack. Sarah got bit but it doesn't look like she consumed any blood," Dean explained as he laid Sarah on a large wooden table.

Sam looked at Andi worriedly. "Andi, did you get bit? Are you ok?"

"No, she didn't," Dean answered quickly, not giving her a chance to answer for herself. Annoyed, she scowled at him. Andi wasn't sure what his problem was. She'd never seen this side of Dean before.

Looking back at Sam, she continued herself, "I'm fine. Can you tell me anything about Sarah?"

Sam bent over Sarah, examining her neck wound. Raising her lips, he gently pushed on her gums but as far as Andi could tell nothing happened. "It's too soon to know for sure but so far so good. She really needs to stay here overnight so we can keep an eye on her. You're more than welcome to stay. We have plenty of rooms," Sam offered as he gathered Sarah up into his own arms.

"I've got a body to take care of so I'll be back in a little while," Dean grumbled as he started back toward the entrance. Andi noticed the expression on Sam's face while he watched his brother leave. Confusion and concern passed across his handsome face. Apparently, Dean didn't behave this way all the time which meant she was the cause of this sudden change. Add that to the list of things she'd ruined.

"Andi, do you want me to show you a room?" Sam's voice broke into her thoughts.

Trying to hide the tears that were welling up in her eyes, Andi shook her head. Seeming to understand, Sam took Sarah and left Andi alone for a few minutes. By the time he returned, Andi had composed herself and was sitting in one of the leather chairs in the front room.

As Sam settled into one of the chairs across from her, Andi quietly probed, "What the hell is going on, Sam?"

Taking a deep breath like he'd gone through this many times before, Sam leaned forward and replied, "Dean and I are hunters, have been since we were kids. Ghosts, demons, vampires, werewolves. You name it, we've hunted it."

Andi nodded slowly but she couldn't help but asking, "And how long has Dean been a…"

"Demon? Not long," Sam went on to summarize what had happened to them over the last year. He tried his best to explain about angels, demons, Abbadon, the Mark of Cain, and Dean turning into a demon. When he was finished, Andi just sat in her chair, dumbfounded. It was hard to believe she was sitting under the roof of the two men who were responsible for saving the world. After a few minutes of silence, it was Sam's turn to ask, "You want to talk about tonight?"

Guilt-ridden, Andi looked at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "Jeremy was my boyfriend five years ago," she began in a hushed voice. "I had no idea what he was until one evening I found him sucking my mother's throat dry. He had already killed my father and was planning on letting me drive myself insane while he took his sweet time coming after me… So I ran away." As she continued, her voice quivered with emotion and tears started to flow down her cheeks, "I never stayed in one place for too long, afraid he'd find me. But this time, I made a mistake and Sarah got hurt." Andi couldn't continue. Shame welled up and threatened to crush her. Burying her face in her hands, she hunched over and began to sob.

She felt Sam's strong arms wrap around her comfortingly. "It wasn't your fault, Andi. You didn't know. How could you? Sarah is going to be fine and then you can go home with her or wherever you want. You can start over," he consoled her as he rubbed her shoulder soothingly.

When her sobs turned to silent tears, Andi let Sam gently lead her into one of the empty rooms. He closed the door as he left and she crawled into bed, pulling the covers all the way to her chin and curling into a tight ball. As she laid there, Andi thought about her deceased parents, of Sarah laying injured in one of the rooms next to hers, and about Dean. She didn't even know what to think about Dean but for some reason she wished he was here with her. She wasn't afraid of him. If he really risked his life for countless people then she didn't have anything to worry about safety wise. Her heart was a different matter altogether. Recalling his recent behavior toward her, she couldn't help but feel that she'd lost him. Which was a little crazy since he hadn't been hers to begin with but that didn't lessen the pain any. As she fell into a fitful sleep, Dean's coal black eyes were the last things she thought of.

…

The next morning, Sam drove Andi and Sarah home. Andi had agreed to the boys giving Sarah a sedative so that her body would get some much needed rest and they wouldn't have to explain the bunker or their occupations to yet another person. However, they had no idea what she had seen or what she would remember when she woke up but Andi decided that she would cross that bridge when she came to it. Sarah was going to be fine and that was all she cared about.

Andi didn't bother to try to stifle the yawn that escaped her lips. She'd only managed to sleep a couple hours, waking up constantly thinking about what Sam had said about starting a new life. After waking up for what seemed like the hundredth time, Andi had decided to check on Sarah again. As she slipped out of her room, she met Dean who apparently had just taken a shower. A towel was wrapped around his middle, leaving his wet muscular chest exposed. Despite her circumstances, Andi's heart skipped a beat. Dean had stared at her, looking like he wanted to say something but in the end he went into his own room and shut the door. Shoving down the hurt she felt, she continued to Sarah's room. She found Sarah sound asleep in her borrowed bed and Sam sitting on the floor, researching something with his laptop, just in case she woke up. Sam reassured her that Sarah was doing great and practically forced her to go back to bed. So Andi had spent the rest of the night thinking about what she was going to do with her life now.

Sam pulled into the driveway and parked the car. While he gently removed Sarah from the back, Andi stepped out and made sure no one was in the immediate vicinity. Opening the door, she motioned upstairs and said, "Her room is the last one on the right. Thanks, Sam."

"No problem, Andi," Sam smiled at her. He seemed to sense that she was having a hard time and was doing his best to make it easier, a gesture Andi greatly appreciated.

While Sam took her friend to her room, Andi looked at the house that had become her home. Going back to her old life and pretending like nothing had happened seemed wrong somehow. She was given a second chance at life and she wanted it to mean something. Her eyes drifted to the place where Jeremy had been beheaded. The blood was gone. Confused, Andi looked to where she had found Sarah lying on the floor, blood dripping from her neck. There wasn't any blood there either. Andi hadn't had a chance to clean it up last night so how was it gone?

Dean. He must have returned and cleaned up so she wouldn't have to. Touched, she sank onto the couch. She suddenly knew what she wanted to do with her life. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she had purpose and that she could make a difference.

As Sam descended the stairs, Andi jumped up to meet him. "Sam, I want to be a hunter," she told him seriously.

Sam stopped in his tracks at the bottom of the stairs, eyes widening. "No, Andi. You don't understand. Once you get into this life, there is no getting out. Trust me. I've tried and it never works. You've got a chance to start over and do anything you want to do. You do not want this," he implored, practically begging her to understand.

"Yes, I do," Andi insisted passionately. "What if another monster shows up? Or another vampire? If there's one, there has to be more. You and Dean can't be everywhere at once." She could see this wasn't doing any good so she decided to tell him the truth. Inhaling, she held his gaze and continued quietly, "Sam, my family died because of me and I ran away. Sarah almost died because of me. I couldn't protect her or myself. I can't protect anyone. I want to make the most of my second chance. I want to help people and make up for not being able to save my family. If you and Dean don't want to help me, that's fine. I'll learn by myself. But this is what I want."

Sam stared at her, trying to decide what the best decision was. Finally, he must have seen something in her face that convinced him because he groaned and said, "Dean is going to kill me. Alright. Fine. I've got tons of books you can borrow and we'll have to find a place we can meet so we can spar. How are you at fighting?"

"I've taken a few martial arts classes for self-defense purposes. I do pretty well at holding my own but it needs work," Andi answered honestly. She couldn't help the excitement that was building up inside. She stepped aside so Sam could move past her toward the door.

"Good. That helps. **But you cannot tell Dean. **Not yet, anyway. We'll tell him eventually but now is not the right time," he insisted, giving her the idea that maybe Dean was in fact a little moody at times which made her feel better about his attitude last night. "Andi, are you sure this is what you want?" Sam asked, his hand resting on the doorknob. He stared at her intently, watching her expressions.

Instead of answering too quickly, Andi considered his question. She could move away, different town and a different job. Something completely new. Or she could stay here with Sarah and go on like normal, pretending that nothing had changed. That she hadn't changed. Neither of those filled her with a sense of rightness. Despite what Sam was probably thinking, Andi did understand to an extent what she was doing. She knew this would not be easy and that she would constantly be throwing herself at danger. But the thought of other people having to go through what she went through sickened her. She wanted to help them more than anything. Chin held high, Andi looked steadily at Sam and said, "Absolutely. When do we start?"


	4. Chapter 4

Sam couldn't help but be impressed as he drove to meet Andi. For the last three months, they had trained hard. He'd given her book after book which she seemed to absorb like a sponge. The Millers' children were enjoying their summer break so she had plenty of free time on her hands. Her fighting was improving too. When they had first started, she had the speed but lacked the strength she was going to need on a real hunt. So he had instructed her to go for a long run every day, do pushups, and lift some weights. Anything he could think of to build up her cardio and strength, he recommended and Andi had complied. Twice a week, they tried to meet in a small abandoned storage building on the edge of town where they would spar and Sam would quiz her on some monster lore, unless he was out of town on a job.

Sam had pushed her to her limit, both physically and mentally, and beyond. Hoping that she would change her mind and give up this idea of becoming a hunter, he had made sure he never took it easy on her. But she never complained. Whether it was from stubbornness or dedication, he wasn't entirely sure. He could see why Dean liked her though. She was soft but not weak, tough but not hard. Maybe that's what his brother needed.

Shaking his head, Sam couldn't help but think of Dean's behavior over the last few months. When he had first started to go out with Andi, Dean was more like his old self. Joking and happier. Now he barely said two words to Andi whenever they saw her at the diner or around town, he was moody, negative, and drank more than usual. Sam knew exactly what was wrong with him and had tried to explain to Dean that what had happened wasn't his fault, that the vamp had been tracking Andi for years, but he refused to listen. Dean took the weight of the world on his shoulders. If he knew that Sam had been training Andi, he would flip his literal shit. Sam couldn't keep this secret much longer though as making up excuses was getting harder and harder.

Sam parked the car in front of the short brick building. It stood more or less by itself with no other businesses nearby so they never worried about anyone finding them. Andi sat on the steps waiting for him, her long brown hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun. Jumping up to meet him, she placed her hands on her hips and smiled. "You're late, Winchester," she teased playfully.

"I seem to remember you've been late plenty of times, Miss Punctual," he ribbed right back. "How's Sarah?" he asked more seriously.

"She's doing much better. You can barely see the scar now," Andi replied positively. Luckily, Sarah hadn't remembered being attacked by a vampire so she had easily accepted the story of an intruder who had fled the scene that Andi had told her.

Sam nodded and opened the heavy front door, letting Andi go through first. "How do you feel about some target practice today?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow and half smiling at her.

Visibly cringing, Andi groaned as she stepped inside and flipped the light switch. The room lit up revealing concrete floors, metal beams that crossed the ceiling, and about seven garage-like doors that lined one wall. "Ugh! I guess we'd better. I really suck at shooting," she confessed unhappily.

"Yeah, you do," Sam laughed as he began to tack paper targets to the wall. Handing Andi the pistol she's been practicing with, he watched as she checked the clip, the chamber, and flipped the safety off. She took her stance just like he'd taught her, aimed, and fired. The bullet hit to the left of the target.

"Damn it!" Andi cursed angrily. Sam chuckled at her but quickly shut up when she glared at him. Aiming again, she took a deep breath and fired. This time, she hit her mark in the left shoulder. Squealing in delight, she grinned proudly at Sam. "I got him!"

"Good. Now do it again but better," Sam commanded, smiling but stern. Straight-faced, Andi emptied her clip into the different targets. She only missed a couple more times, the rest of the bullets finding their place in the targets. "Excellent. Much better," Sam complimented. He couldn't help but feel a little proud of her progress.

His phone started ringing. Dean's name glowed on the screen. Putting his finger to his lips so Andi would know to be quiet, he flipped open the phone and answered, "What's up, Dean?" As he listened to Dean telling him about a case he found, Andi's eyes searched his face. After training with her for three months, Sam knew she missed Dean as much as he missed her, though she would never admit it. Whenever he so much as mentioned Dean's name her eyes lit up with curiosity and longing. "Ok, I'll be right there," he said as he snapped the phone shut.

Turning to Andi, he explained, "Looks like we got a job. We're leaving first thing in the morning so I'd better get back. Sorry to cut our lesson short." Quickly, both of them cleaned up the room, not wanting to leave any evidence that they were using the building just in case someone happened to come snooping around. Andi was oddly quiet as they packed up but Sam didn't think much about it.

As he slammed the trunk with the gun and targets inside, Andi stood beside him and said decidedly, "I want to go with you guys."

Sam nearly choked. "No, Andi. Not this time. Maybe in a couple more months."

"I need to go, Sam. All this training isn't going to do me any good if I can't apply it. What better way to see if I'm really cut out for this? Plus, you and Dean will be with me," she said persuasively

"That's not the point, Andi. There's a million different ways a hunt can go wrong," Sam tried to explain, running his hands through his long hair.

Not missing a beat, Andi continued, "Then bring me as backup. I can observe, do research, and if you need me then I'm there to help with whatever. Please, Sam. Please." She stared up at him with her big amber eyes.

Sam massaged his temples and sighed. What was he supposed to do? He didn't want her to get hurt but she did have a point. Eventually, she was going to be out there on her own and he needed to see if she could handle herself. Maybe coming along would dissuade her. Then something occurred to him. They were gonna have to tell Dean what was going on. Tilting his head, he looked at Andi and smiled impishly. "I'll make you a deal. You can come** if** you can convince Dean."

For the first time since they started training, Andi looked uncertain. Her forehead scrunched in thought before taking a deep breath and saying, "Deal."

…

After grabbing Andi some clothes and dropping Sarah's car off to her at the diner, Sam and Andi went back to the bunker. Sam was almost to the door when he noticed Andi was still standing at the car. Her face blank as she stared straight ahead but her fists were clenched nervously at her sides.

"Did you change your mind?" Sam questioned hopefully. He wasn't excited about the on-coming conversation and would be more than happy to avoid it. He already regretted giving Andi this choice to begin with. Unfortunately, she just squared her shoulders and walked resolutely to the door.

As soon as they shut the door, Dean walked into the front room. "What took you so long?" he started to ask but stopped when he noticed Andi. Eyes traveling down to the bag in her hands, he shook his head and angrily said, "Oh hell no! NO. **NO WAY.**" Turning around, he stomped into the nearest room, which happened to be the gym.

Gesturing toward the gym, Sam sighed and said, "Ladies, first." Andi rolled her eyes and threw down her bag.

"Dean, listen. Sam and I have been training for months and I really think I can help you guys," she said sweetly as she followed Dean, ignoring the livid glare he gave her when she mentioned the training situation.

"I don't care if you've been training with Samuel Colt himself. There is no way in heaven or hell you are coming with us," he fumed, slamming his fist into the punching bag. The bag swung violently back and forth, the chain groaning in protest. Dean swung back around, turning his irate gaze on his brother. "And what in God's name were you thinking?"

Before he could answer, Sam watched as Andi's face went from convincing to murderous. "I don't need your permission, Dean Winchester. If I want to hunt, I **will** hunt. That is my decision," she said stubbornly as she walked right up to Dean, her face staring up into his. Neither so much as blinked. The tension in the room was nearly tangible.

Dean's face went eerily calm. "Sam, go get some dinner," he said, not taking his eyes off of Andi.

"Dean, what are you doing?" Sam asked uncertainly. He knew Dean would never hurt Andi but he still didn't want to leave her to face his wrath by herself.

His brother glared at him and said simply, "Go, Sam. Now."

His gaze flickering to Andi, whose eyes never left Dean, Sam backed out of the gym and returned to the Impala. Exhaling, he drove back to town and hoped the bunker would still be in one piece when he got back.

Andi could feel some of her nerve slipping as she heard Sam drive away but she tried her best not to show it. This was the longest conversation she'd had with Dean in months. Yelling at each other wasn't exactly how she wanted this to go. Looking into his green eyes, Andi was struck again by how infuriatingly complicated this man was. It was obvious he was angry but she could have sworn she saw concern pass across his handsome face. It happened so quickly that Andi wasn't sure that it had happened at all. Trying not to show her confusion, she said nothing while they continued to glare at each other. Neither were willing to be the first to speak.

Finally, Dean half-smiled and said, "So you think you're ready to go on a hunt? Prove it."

Andi was caught off-guard. "What do you mean?" she asked, eyebrows scrunched warily.

"You said that you and Sam had been training. I want you to show me that you can take care of yourself. Cause we won't have time to babysit," he explained. Seeing her hesitation, he flashed his black demon eyes and continued smugly, "Unless, of course, you'd rather not and stay home where you belong."

Andi stared into his black eyes and took in his vicious smile, understanding what he was attempting to do. He was trying to scare her and she refused to let it work. Obstinately, she jerked her chin up. "Fine." Turning on her heel, she walked over to the giant matt in the middle of the floor, Dean following her. He flicked his wrist and the door to the gym slammed shut.

They circled each other, bodies tensed for attack. Andi was the first to strike, her small fist flying quickly towards Dean's chin. He blocked it easily and dodged the elbow she threw at him. He continued to let her strike at him, only avoiding and blocking her hits, before sweeping his legs under her feet, knocking her to the ground. He smiled arrogantly at her.

Teeth clenched, Andi righted herself and ground out, "Again."

Dean launched his fist forward, surprised when Andi dodged it and landed a solid kick in his middle. He came at her again. She was able to land a blow to his ribs. They went on like this for several rounds. Although Andi had improved over the past few months, Dean was still much more experienced. Eventually, he always managed to knock her on her ass but every time she stood right back up and demanded they keep going.

As Andi's foot flew toward his face, Dean grabbed her ankle and drug his own foot behind Andi's stationary knee, causing her to fall backward once again. Before she could stand up, Dean straddled her and grasped both of her wrists, pinning her to the matt. Andi tried her best to wriggle free but it was no use.

Chests heaving, they stared at each other furiously. Andi felt a tugging sensation in her stomach as she looked into Dean's black eyes. Something passed across his face and suddenly he sat back and jerked her up, smashing his lips against hers. This was nothing like the first kiss they'd shared months ago, which had been gentle and careful. No. This kiss was rough and angry, full of the tension they'd felt toward each other. And she was angry. She was furious, not just because he didn't want her to hunt but because he'd practically ignored her for three months. He had awoken feelings inside of her that she was perfectly fine with leaving dormant and then he had pulled away without any explanation.

Andi fisted her hands in Dean's shirt as he ripped her hair tie out, letting her long hair fall down her back. His hands knotted themselves in the curly mass as she moved to sit in his lap. Growling, Dean jerked her black tank top over her head and flung it across the room, viciously attacking her throat. Trailing hot kisses down her neck, his strong hands dug into the angel wings on her back as he pressed her closer. Her hips grinded against his.

Grasping handfuls of his hair, Andi jerked Dean's head backward and kissed him savagely, biting his lower lip. If it hurt, Dean didn't let on. One of her hands traveled down to feel his length hardening inside his jeans. Dean's fingers hooked inside the band of her jogging tights and deftly peeled them off of her, along with her black thong. Removing her shoes, he threw them and her pants off to the side. Andi stood, pulling Dean up with her. As he removed his shirt, her hands worked furiously at the button on his pants and pushed them below his hips. Dean kicked off his boots and pants as he leaned down to kiss her. She felt him unsnap her bra and let it fall to the ground.

Dean pushed her backward and slammed her roughly against the wall. Her hands explored his muscular body as his teeth raked along her jaw and throat. His hand trailed down her body to the wetness between her thighs. Eyes widening, she gasped as he massaged the sensitive bundle of nerves. She couldn't help the small cry that flew out as his long fingers worked her over, slipping inside of her. Her back arched as he continued and her legs felt like jello. He smiled wickedly at her. Still seething, Andi grabbed his shoulders and turned him so that it was his back against the cold, hard wall. Snickering at him, her eyes twinkling with mischief, she dropped to her knees and took him in her mouth. She swirled her tongue teasingly around his tip before going farther. A groan escaped Dean's lips, causing her to smile. This is what she wanted, to be in control of what she was doing for once. To forget her past and the pain she'd been feeling. If this was how she got it then so be it. Grasping his legs, her fingernails dug into his skin as Dean gathered her thick mane into his hands and pumped her head back and forth. Looking up through her thick lashes, she could see Dean watching her, his eyes no longer black but green.

Dean released her and dropped to the floor. Pushing her down, he leaned in for another bruising kiss. His hand cupped her breast while his teeth nipped at her hardened nipples. Without warning, she felt him enter her. She clenched her eyes shut and moaned. Dean plunged in and out of her roughly and Andi could feel her release building. Wrapping her legs around him, she arched her back in pleasure and pain. She clawed at his shoulders as he cradled her head with his other hand. Her eyes flew open to see him staring at her. All trace of anger gone for the moment. Andi's body tensed as pleasure overcame her and she climaxed, her walls pulsing inside of her. Dean gripped her tightly as his thrusts became erratic. With a final thrust, he shattered. He moaned as his head lowered into her shoulder. He moved inside of her gently until the pleasure subsided.

Neither moved. Panting from desire and spent anger, they merely laid on the floor. Dean sat up and gazed at Andi. She couldn't begin to guess what he was thinking as she stared up into his eyes. Putting his hand gently on her cheek, he leaned forward as if he was going to kiss her. But he stopped. Rolling off of her, Dean stood and gathered his clothes. Andi tried to ignore the pain that flared in her chest as she began to dress.

"Dean! Andi! I ate at the diner but I brought you guys some burgers," she heard Sam's voice call out just as she pulled her last piece of clothing back on.

Dean walked toward the door, leaving her standing in the middle of the gym. He opened the door just as Sam was about to knock. Without looking at his brother, Dean walked passed him and mumbled, "She can go." Andi's gaze never left the floor as she heard Dean go to his room and slam the door.

"So are you gonna tell me what the job is?" Sam asked a silent Dean as they made the drive to Missouri. The three of them had been on the go since five that morning and now, about six hours or so later, they were almost to Harrisonville.

"Something has been stealing fresh corpses at the funeral homes. Then one of the employees turned up dead, most of the flesh gone. I'm bettin' it's a ghoul," Dean explained quickly before returning to his brooding.

Dean glanced in the rearview mirror at Andi's sleeping form. He'd seen her light on in the middle of the night so he knew she probably hadn't slept well. Since he didn't really need to sleep anymore, he was forced to deal with his own thoughts. He had laid down and closed his eyes for old time's sake but whenever he did, visions of Andi, angry and beautiful, filled his mind. He'd tried to stay mad at her and keep his emotions turned off but he couldn't. Every time she had kissed or touched him she chipped away at the wall he had built so carefully. So he'd chosen to think of something else, like Andi becoming a hunter. He had tried so hard to distance himself from her. He hated seeing her and having to force down the feelings she inspired but he had convinced himself it was for her own good. No matter what she or Sam said, he felt it was all his fault.

"You've been teaching her how to hunt? What is wrong with you, Sam?" Dean suddenly asked his brother incredulously, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. He had somehow managed to forget that Sam had played a part in all this.

Exhaling roughly, Sam replied, "Look, Dean, I didn't have much of a choice. Either I trained her or she was going to figure things out on her own and she would've gotten herself killed. What did you want me to do?"

"Well for starters, you could've told me. That might've been helpful," he snapped, glaring at the road.

Inhaling deeply, Andi sat up and stretched in the back seat, interrupting their conversation. "Are we there yet?" she asked impatiently to no one in particular.

Dean didn't answer. Ever since their tussle, she and Dean didn't so much as look at each other openly, let alone speak to each other. Sam didn't know the details but he wasn't stupid. He knew something was up between the two of them. He looked at his brother pointedly but Dean refused to say anything. Sighing, Sam turned to Andi and smiled, "Just about. Few more miles maybe."

"So what's the plan? Do I need to think of an alias? What can I do?" she inquired enthusiastically, practically bouncing in her seat.

"You can start by telling me everything you've learned about ghouls," Sam said, using his teacher voice.

Andi's brow wrinkled in concentration. After a few minutes, she answered, "Ghouls usually feed on the dead, although they have been known to feed on the living. They are able to shapeshift into the form of the last person they feasted on and therefore can appear human. The only way to kill one is by decapitation or extreme head trauma."

"We think a ghoul is hitting funeral homes in order to get to the fresh corpses and it's already killed one worker. How do you think we should go about finding it?" he questioned as Dean pretended not to be listening but, truthfully, he was curious what her answer would be.

"Well, we could start by finding the funeral home with the, um, newest members and wait for the ghoul there. Assuming it hasn't eaten anyone else yet, we need to know who the last victim was so we can have an idea of what to look for," Andi proudly replied.

"Very good," Sam praised, grinning at her. Dean's lips twitched into a smile. Despite what he thought, Sam's training seemed to be paying off. The girl caught on fast.

…

Dean handed Sam and Andi each a newly sharpened machete. After arriving in Harrisonville, Sam had Andi do the research and find out which funeral home the ghoul might be at next. She wasn't as fast as Sam but she did find what they were looking for. Andi had discovered that eighty year old Maria Lewis had died peacefully in her sleep and had been taken to Fisher Funeral Home. So now the three of them stood outside in the middle of the night, ready to break in.

Watching as Andi gripped the machete and tested its weight, Dean looked at Sam worriedly. He'd wanted Andi to sit this one out, claiming that research was more than enough help for her first hunt, but Sam had apparently already tried that out with her and had been shot down. She had insisted that this was her idea and she should see it through. Sam merely shrugged, suggesting that nothing short of tying her to the bed would have stopped her from coming with them. Dean began to wonder why he hadn't thought of that but then that opened a whole new mess of kinky thoughts which he quickly shoved away.

As Dean closed the trunk, he heard Sam explaining the "rules" to Andi, "We sneak in and try to catch it off guard. If it comes to a fight, try your best to stay out of it and observe. See how we handle it. If you can't, then remember what I taught you. Don't leave yourself open for it to get an attack in. And no matter what happens, you stick with us. Don't go anywhere by yourself and just make sure that you are always with at least one of us."

As Andi nodded her understanding, Dean observed her. For her first hunt, she didn't seem to be afraid. Her hands shook a little at her sides but she looked at Sam steadily, determination written all over her beautiful face. She had spunk, he'd give her that.

When Sam finished his instructions, the three of them walked quietly to the front door. Dean swiftly picked the lock, letting them inside. Fisher Funeral Home was just like any other funeral home. Vases of flowers were scattered around the foyer and an olive green border ran along the top of cream colored walls. And the smell. It was like rotting flowers mixed with embalming fluid covered up with whatever air freshener they sprayed throughout the day. Dean hated that smell.

Sam crossed the room and opened a door that said EMPLOYEES ONLY, revealing a set of steep stairs. "I'll check the mortuary. You two make sure the ghoul isn't up here," he said, not looking at either of them. Before Dean could argue, Sam made his way down the stairs.

Rolling his eyes, Dean mumbled, "Come on, Andi. Stay close." He gripped the First Blade and opened the first viewing room he came to. The large room was filled with rows and rows of chairs. Cautiously, Dean stepped inside and motioned for Andi to stay by the door. He had just reached the first few rows when he heard Andi cry out behind him.

"Andi!" he anxiously called as he rushed back out into the hallway. The ghoul had tackled Andi from the side and pinned her to the floor, her nails digging into Andi's wrists. As Dean ran forward, Andi managed to get one hand free and punched the monster in the side of her face. The blow was enough to knock the creature off of Andi, giving Dean time to drop to one knee and drive the First Blade into the ghoul's forehead.

Grabbing Andi's shoulders, Dean turned her towards him and asked, "Are you ok?" He couldn't keep the worry out of his voice and right now he didn't care.

"Yeah, I'm fine. She just caught me off guard. Won't happen again," she defended as she stood up. Red-faced, she stooped and grabbed the machete she had dropped.

Relieved, Dean chuckled and said, "I doubt that. Sam and I have been hunting for years and we still have to save each other's asses." Andi looked up at him and gave him a small careful smile. Dean smiled back before remembering that he was supposed to be distancing himself from this woman. Clearing his throat, he walked back toward the door that lead to the mortuary. "We better get Sam," he said over his shoulder, his voice returning to its former aloofness.

Stopping at the top of the stairs, Dean began to wonder why Sam hadn't returned already. Growing suspicious, he quietly crept down the stairs, leaving Andi standing near the dead ghoul. At the bottom of the stairs was a short hallway that led to a single door. Not bothering to wait for Andi, he opened the door to see Sam lying unconscious in the middle of the floor.

"Damn it, Sam," he muttered as he swiftly walked over to his brother. Kneeling, Dean could tell that Sam was still breathing and he didn't see any blood so he assumed the ghoul had knocked Sam out before coming upstairs and attacking them. Something moved out of the corner of his eye. As he turned his head, something hard slammed into his face. Dazed, he fell backward.

When his vision cleared a little, Dean could see a wide-set man holding a bent metal tray standing over him. "I guess you killed my partner," the ghoul sneered. "Seeing how you're still alive. Well, for the moment." The tray clattered to the floor as the ghoul reached for one of the scalpels that lined the countertop.

The ghoul stepped forward but then froze as his head suddenly fell off his shoulders and rolled across the linoleum. As his body dropped to the floor, Dean could see Andi, blood spattered on her shirt and still holding her machete out. Her eyes were wide as she looked from him to Sam.

"So how many points do I get for saving both of you?" she asked, trying to smile but failing. Her tone was joking but her eyes radiated how freaked out she was at her first kill. Her breathing was heavy and her hands shook.

Ignoring the headache that was already forming, Dean stood and walked slowly over to her. Prying the machete out of her vicelike grip, Dean set it on the floor and took her trembling form in his arms. Andi wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. Rubbing soothing circles on her back, Dean whispered, "It's alright. The first one is always the hardest. You did good."

"I killed him. I…I just killed someone," she said quietly, tightening her grip on Dean.

Hearing the panic in her voice, Dean pulled back but kept his hands on her shoulders. But Andi wasn't looking at him. Her gaze was fixed on the head that had landed a few feet away, mouth gaping and lifeless eyes wide open. Shaking her a little, Dean said, "Hey. Andi, look at me." She turned her big eyes up to his. "It's not a person. It's a monster. A monster who was hurting people. If you hadn't killed it, then it would have killed someone else. You did nothing wrong, do you hear me? If you're going to be a hunter then you have to understand that. What we do, it's a hard life and you're going to be killing things all the time but you have to remember that you are saving lives. If you don't remember that then you'll never be able to live with yourself."

Dean waited until she nodded her understanding before he released her. He watched as she took a deep calming breath, smiled reassuringly at him, and then knelt to try to rouse Sam.

…

Dean peered around his brother to look out the window as Andi walked into Sarah's house, dragging her bag behind her. She was dead on her feet, she and Sam both.

"She did pretty good for her first time," he mentioned to Sam as they drove toward the bunker. After the initial freaking out, Andi had quickly regained her composure and helped clean up the little mess they'd made in the funeral home. Dean had watched her like a hawk and could tell she was going to be ok. She was tougher than he gave her credit for.

Nodding, Sam agreed with him. "Yeah, she did. She'll make a good hunter if she keeps it up." Pausing, he continued, "You know, ignoring each other isn't going to fix things."

As soon as Sam had come to, Andi and Dean had gone right back to awkwardly pretending that the other wasn't in the same vicinity. Dean scowled and replied, "We're not talking about this, Sam. Forget it. Nothing has changed."

Andi let the warm water run over her body, loosening her tight muscles. When the boys had dropped her off yesterday afternoon, she'd crashed immediately and slept for hours. She'd woken up late in the evening and took a much needed shower. Closing her eyes, she couldn't help but think about Dean. Again. His behavior confused her to no end. Sleeping with him definitely hadn't helped clear things up. Sex had been the last thing on her mind when she'd gone to the bunker but whatever spark they'd had before had caught on fire as Dean had tested her. As good as it had felt, it was afterward that Andi couldn't seem to forget. How he'd looked at her with such tenderness. The moment was over quickly but it was seared into her memory. Then there'd been the hunt. He'd held her tightly but so gently after the initial shock of killing her first monster. Even after they'd started to ignore each other again, Andi caught him more than once looking her way to make sure she was alright.

Tilting her head back against the shower wall, she knew with certainty that she was in trouble. As hard as she tried to fight it, she had fallen in love with Dean Winchester. He was a demon, yes, but Andi had learned to recognize a good person when she met one, despite how they'd been treating each other lately. Dean risked his life to help others and asked for no reward or praise. That's what made her fall for him in the first place. It wasn't his looks, although those were unquestionably eye-catching. It was simply because he was kind and good, although it was obvious he didn't think so. However, she wasn't foolish enough to think he cared about her in the same way.

Hearing Sarah come home from her shift at the diner, Andi decided it was time to get out. As she stepped out, her phone rang. She picked it up and noticed Sam's name on the screen. She quickly wrapped the towel around her body and walked back to her room. "Sam?" she questioned as she answered the phone, wondering why he was calling her so soon after they got back.

"Andi! I need your help. Something's wrong with Dean. I've got him in a devil's trap but he won't listen to me. You have to get over her **now**!" Sam said urgently, a hint of terror in his voice.

Andi almost dropped her phone. "I'm on my way," she rushed as she threw on whatever clothes were laying on the floor. Running down the stairs, she grabbed the extra set of car keys off the hall table and called out to Sarah, "Need the car! I'll be right back!"

She raced toward the bunker, trying to contain her panic. Barely remembering to turn the car off, she jumped out and ran toward the door. "Where is he? What happened?" she asked frantically as she burst inside.

Sam met her at the bottom of the stairs. "I don't know. All of a sudden, he just lost control. I lured him into the holding room and was able to trap him there," he explained while leading her to the room where Dean was being held.

As Sam pushed open the doors, Andi could see that Dean was tied to a chair in the middle of a devil's trap, his back facing her. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked, not taking her eyes off of Dean.

"He won't talk to me. Maybe he'll talk to you," Sam said as he shook his head.

Andi walked slowly into the room. When she rounded Dean's side, she could see a giant piece of duct tape covering his mouth. Confused, she looked back at Sam. "Why does he have…" she began but just then Sam shut the doors. She heard a lock click. "Sam? What the hell?" Andi yelled as she quickly returned to the door.

"Sorry, Andi, but neither of you are coming out until you talk. This whole pretending that neither of you has feelings for the other is total bullshit," he griped and then said nothing else.

"Come on, Sam. Let us out. Sam? Sam!" No answer. Muttering to herself, Andi walked back over to Dean and ripped the duct tape off without warning.

"Son of a bitch! Really, Sam?" Dean yelled, working his jaw to try to stop the stinging. Looking up at Andi, he asked, "So how did he get you here?"

Andi hesitated before deciding to be honest. "He told me you were in trouble," she mumbled, crossing her arms.

Dean laughed but there was no humor in it. "I swear, if I had known it would lead to this, I never would have asked you out," he said to himself, shaking his head.

Andi's body stiffened, the soft look in her eyes turning hard. Hurt and anger filled her. "Then why did you bother?" she ground out. Not giving Dean a chance to answer, she continued, "You don't seem like the kind of guy that has problems getting girls. Was I just a new challenge? Get the girl next door and once you've had her you get to move on to the next piece of ass? Is that in the job description right next to the part about being a moody douche? Because someone forgot to mention that little detail."

"Details? You want to talk details? Ok. Let's talk about the fact that you never mentioned a **vampire** was tracking you. Or that you were going to leave town. Yeah, I went back to Sarah's house that night to clean up and grab you a change of clothes when I noticed that all your bags were packed and ready to go. You didn't think that was worth mentioning? Or were you going to just leave and not even bother to give me an explanation?" Dean snapped right back. "Not to mention that you had Sam train you behind my back. Why do you even want to be a hunter?"

"I do not have to explain myself to you," Andi argued, clenching her fists at her sides. "I don't see why my reasons matter to you anyway."

Glaring, Dean responded blatantly, "They matter because I don't want you to be a hunter."

Before she knew what she was doing, Andi had pulled her small fist back and punched Dean right in the nose, sending his chair crashing to the floor. She wasn't exactly sure what had made her hit him. What he had said wasn't really reason enough but to her, he might as well have said that he didn't want her anywhere near him. And something in her sort of snapped. Rubbing her aching knuckles, she backed up until she felt the wall behind her and slid to the cold floor. Tears threatened to escape as the anger disappeared. Unfortunately, the hurt was still there. Andi wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her forehead on her knees, her long hair draping around her shoulders. She supposed it was her own fault that she cared for Dean far more than he cared for her. She had hoped that she could keep her feelings a secret and continue to hunt with the boys but that wasn't going to be possible. Dean had made it clear that he didn't want her around.

"I'm so sorry," she said miserably, not lifting her head. "Please try to understand. I have to hunt. I don't want anyone else to go through what I've been through. No one deserves to have their family ripped from them. But I'll find someone else to train me. You won't have to see me again." Andi wished she could just leave but she wasn't sure if Sam would even let her out.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her head jerked up and she was surprised to see Dean kneeling right in front of her. Looking over at the chair, she could see that the devil's trap now had a large scrape at the edge that must have been from the chair falling over. Dean must have gotten out of the ropes though Andi wasn't sure how he did it so quietly.

"Did Sam ever tell you how we became hunters?" Dean asked seriously, his hand still on her shoulder. When Andi nodded her head, he went on, his green eyes pleading with her to understand, "We didn't have a choice. It's not a life I would wish on anyone. It's dangerous and people get hurt. You don't know the shit I've had to do…I mean look at me. I'm a demon now." Taking a deep breath, Dean exhaled and said, "I don't want you to ever have to make those choices. I didn't want you to become a hunter because I…because I love you."

Andi's heart flip flopped in her chest and her eyes widened in surprise. She couldn't have heard him right. His hand moved to brush her still damp hair away from her face, resting on her cheek, and he smiled as he took in her dumbfounded expression. "I would never choose this life for you, but if you insist on hunting then I'll help train you. I love you, Andrea Summers," he repeated honestly.

Beaming, Andi placed her hand on top of his. "And I love you, Dean Winchester," she said, her heart bursting with joy.

A huge grin spread across Dean's face as he leaned in and kissed her, gently at first but it soon deepened. Neither of them heard Sam slide the doors open. They did, however, hear him chuckle and turned to look his way.

"About time!" he teased good-naturedly. "I got a little worried when the yelling stopped."

Ignoring Sam, Andi placed her hand on Dean's stubbly chin and turned him back toward her. Pulling him close, she kissed him once more as Sam continued to laugh as he retreated down the hallway.


	5. Chapter 5

Dean walked into the bunker's kitchen, grabbing some eggs and sausage out of the fridge. Even though he technically didn't need to eat anymore, some habits were hard to break even if you were a demon. Sam and Andi were still asleep but the smell of breakfast cooking was sure to rouse them quickly.

He smiled at the thought of Andi, sound asleep in his room. Her long hair covering his pillow while her tiny body managed to sprawl out and take up almost the whole bed. They'd had quite a few jobs since her first hunt and she'd just helped them put down a nasty spirit last night. She had a few bruises but wasn't any worse for wear. Though he still hated the idea of Andi hunting, he did understand her reasons. So, just like he said, he had started to help Sam train her except now she actually came to the bunker instead of wherever she and Sam had been meeting. He hated to admit it but having a third hunter around actually eased things up a bit. Not to mention how just being around her made him happier than he'd been in years. When he had first started seeing Andi, he never imagined it would bring anything but disaster but he'd been wrong. This amazing woman actually loved him.

As Dean reached for a couple of skillets, he heard a rush of wings behind him that could only mean one thing. Turning, he cocked half a smile at his trench coated friend and said, "Cas! Hey, man. Haven't seen you in a few months. What's up?" It still surprised him how Cas, and even Sam, didn't treat him any differently even though he was a demon. Oh it had been nowhere near easy when they'd learned what had happened and it had taken Dean a while to figure things out. Hell, he was still trying to figure it out. But Sam and Cas had been there to help him and that wasn't something he could forget.

Cas nodded his head in greeting and replied, "Hello, Dean. I've been busy with the whole Heaven situation. We still haven't gotten things worked out on that end yet."

"And how's the ummm…grace thing coming?" Dean inquired, his eyes scrunching in concern. The three of them had tried to find a solution to Cas's grace burning out but so far nothing had turned up.

Looking down, the angel answered, "No solutions so far. But I still have some time to figure it out and if not then I want to help out as much as I can before…" He didn't bother to finish the sentence.

At that moment, Andi trudged into the kitchen, her hair a wild, curly mass. Wearing one of Dean's t-shirts that stopped about mid-thigh, she rubbed her eyes sleepily and yawned. "Morning. What's for breakfast?" she asked before finally noticing Cas, who was looking at her curiously. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh. Umm. Hey," she said quietly, a little embarrassed at being caught without pants by a stranger. Blush started creeping up her cheeks.

Dean chuckled at her expression as he introduced them, snaking his hand around Andi's waist. "Cas, this is my girlfriend Andi, hunter in training. Andi, this is Castiel."

Andi's eyes lit up in recognition at the name. Not knowing what else to do, she stepped forward to shake his hand. "Castiel? You're the Angel that brought Dean back from Hell? And helped take down Metatron? And now you're like the…commander of the Angels? Sam told me about you," she explained as both men looked at her in confusion.

Dean watched as Cas took her small hand and looked into her eyes, getting a read on her. Andi stared back at the Angel, not noticing that anything was amiss since she was clearly in awe that such creatures existed and that they appeared so normal looking. When he was finished, Cas looked over at him and smiled, "I like her."

Andi beamed in response before moving over to take Dean's place at the stove. Leaning against the counter, Dean crossed his arms and said, "Not that I'm not glad to see you, Cas, but you usually have more on your mind than a friendly chat when you pop in."

Cas nodded matter-of-factly. "Yes. There is a reason for my appearance. I have a job for you. I need you to go to New Orleans."

A huge grin spread across Dean's face as he said, "New Orleans during Mardi Gras? Oh yeah! Count me in!" Turning slightly, he noticed Andi staring at him, arms crossed with spatula in hand.

"Excuse me?" she questioned, eyebrows raised condescendingly.

"Umm… I mean that's great for Sam. You know, because he's single and I only hope he finds a girl that's half as amazing and wonderful as mine," Dean backtracked quickly, smiling as innocently as he could manage. It didn't work. Andi swung the spatula, hitting him hard in the shoulder, but she couldn't hide the smile playing on her lips so Dean knew he was forgiven. As she turned back to the eggs and sausage that were now frying in the pan, Dean gave Cas his full attention, "What's up in New Orleans?"

Castiel, who had watched their banter with amusement, continued his explanation, "There have been five attacks. Luckily, none were fatal but all the victims were drained of large amounts of blood and all occurred late at night. I would take care of this myself but the state of Heaven is requiring all of my time."

"So we talking about a few vampires?" Dean inquired. Beside him, Andi visibly stiffened. Vamps were still a touchy subject with her. Shifting his eyes sideways, Dean could see Andi staring straight ahead, shoulders rigid as she waited for Cas's response.

Shaking his head, Cas replied, "No, I don't think so. All the victims reported that they were asleep and woke up to a bright, fiery light. That was the last thing they remembered before waking up in a hospital. I'm fairly certain it's a Loogaroo."

"Bazil," Dean ground out as his face darkened. An urge to grasp the First Blade caused his fingers to ache. Trying to ignore the impulse, he clenched his fists tightly at his sides and forced himself to calm down. Becoming a demon had only served to fuel his hatred for that particular kind of monster and he was more than willing to put one down when given the chance.

Grabbing some plates from the cabinet, Andi, who had relaxed considerably after hearing that the job wouldn't involve vampires, took in Dean's dark expression and questioned curiously, "Who's Bazil and what is a Loogaroo? I don't remember reading about either in Sam's books."

"Bazil is a demon," Dean explained tightly. "Every so often, he makes a deal with a witch who practices very dark magic. When the witch dies, she becomes a Loogaroo and brings blood to Bazil in exchange for being able to continue practicing even more powerful magic. She takes the form of a very old woman but every few years she'll shed her skin, turn into a fiery blue ball of light, and choose victims to supply her with blood. Then she meets Bazil at a silk cotton tree. Mardi Gras would be the perfect time. A big party with a lot of drunks. What cop would believe that a ball of light attacked someone?" Taking a deep breath, he looked over at Andi and continued more calmly, "We should leave soon. You may want to call Sarah and give her some excuse for why you're not coming home again. Do you mind waking Sam?"

"Sure," Andi replied as she quickly scooped the eggs and sausages onto the plates. As she walked by, Dean grabbed her by the elbow and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, giving her a grateful smile. Andi returned the smile with one of her own as she turned and left to wake up Sam.

"Dean, I need to get back to Heaven. I appreciate you taking care of this," Cas mentioned. He looked at Dean, clearly trying to decide whether or not to say more. Making his decision, Castiel continued, "She's good for you, Dean. Take care of her."

Nodding, Dean replied, "I will, man. Don't worry." In another rush of wings, Castiel was gone, leaving Dean alone in the kitchen.

"Oh my god! How in the hell are we gonna find the Loogaroo? There are thousands of people here," Andi complained as the three of them pushed and shoved their way through the crowd.

* * *

It was almost sundown and the streets were so jam-packed that it was almost impossible to get through. Purple, green, and gold decorations covered the buildings, people in costumes paraded up and down the street, and everywhere Andi looked there were multicolored plastic bead necklaces. Many of them were worn by women in clothing so tight and skimpy that it left nothing to the imagination. Looking up, Andi saw a couple of these women eyeballing Dean and Sam, obviously considering flashing their goods whether the boys had beads or not. Fortunately for them, the women noticed Andi, who was staring at them murderously, and thought better of it and moved on.

"We shouldn't have to deal with this for long," Sam replied. "According to the legends, we need to place piles of seeds at the crossroads and the Loogaroo is obligated to pick up each and every one, giving us time to get to the witch's house, find the mortar where she hides her skin, and salt and burn it."

"And while you two are taking care of the Loogaroo, I'll take care of Bazil. Did you find out about the silk cotton tree?" Dean asked, jumping back to avoid being hit by a couple of bicyclists.

Grabbing the boys' hands, Andi pulled them to a nearby deserted alley. "Finally!" she exclaimed as she leaned against a brick wall. Heaving a sigh of relief, she pulled out a map of the city and looked up at Dean, "The guy who sold us the seeds at the farmer's market said the only silk cotton tree that he knew of was in a park in the middle of the city. It's one of the biggest trees in the park so he said you couldn't miss it." She pointed to a place on the map where the park was located.

Dean studied the map before indicating a place of his own. "I asked around and there's an old house not far from the crossroads. I scoped it out and saw an extremely old woman living there. I mean we are talking ancient. That's probably our Loogaroo." Sticking his hands into his pockets, he pulled out the keys to Baby and tossed them to Sam. "Here. Take Baby and get ready. You guys get rid of the Loogaroo and meet me at the park afterward." Sam took the keys and started making his way down the alley.

"What if you need our help? Maybe one of us should go with you," Andi suggested, not bothering to keep the worry out of her voice. She knew Dean could handle himself in a fight but she'd never seen him go toe to toe with another demon.

Smiling, Dean placed both of his strong hands on her shoulders. "I'll be fine, trust me. I don't want you anywhere near Bazil. Go with Sam and take the witch down. And be careful. I love you," he said as he leaned down to kiss her.

Rising up to meet him, Andi ran her hands through his hair. She knew that further discussion was useless and would just waste time so she just sighed in defeat. "I know," she whispered as stepped away to follow Sam, smiling as she went. Backing up slowly, Andi said, "You better come back to me in one piece, Demon Boy." Smirking, Dean quickly flashed her his black eyes as he stepped back into the crowded street.

…

Andi shifted uncomfortably. She and Sam had been crouched in these bushes for hours and nothing had happened. After they had poured bag after bag of seeds all over the crossroad, they'd left the Impala just off the road and walked the few miles toward the house Dean had described. Hiding in the bushes a short distance away allowed them to keep an eye on the house but so far nothing had so much as moved. She was beginning to think Dean had been mistaken.

"How long do we have to wait?" Andi asked quietly. "I feel like my legs are gonna snap."

Amused, Sam glanced over at her and grinned. "Hard to say. It might be a while. The Loogaroo attacks sleeping victims. So even though Mardi Gras is a perfect cover up it also means people staying awake all hours of the night. We just have to be patient."

Trying not to grumble, Andi shifted once more. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. Not able to explain it, Andi didn't mention anything to Sam but it felt like someone or something was watching them though there had been no sign that anyone else lived nearby. She just wanted to get this over with and go help Dean. She'd hoped her and Sam's part would be quick but it seemed fate had other plans.

Lost in her thoughts, Andi nearly jumped out of her skin when Sam nudged her. Sam held his finger to his lips before gesturing toward the house. Looking in the direction he was pointing, she finally noticed a strange blue light shining through the windows. A fiery blue orb emerged from the front door. Andi could see the flames dancing across its surface as it drifted past their hiding spot and up the small path that led back through the woods.

As it disappeared over the hill, luckily heading in the direction of the crossroads, Andi looked over at Sam and whispered, "Now?"

Nodding, Sam stood up and silently made his way toward the house. Andi rose to join him, her joints popping and cracking as she stretched out the kinks. The old wooden stairs creaked as they stepped up onto the porch and entered the house. The inside wasn't what Andi expected. Instead of cobwebs and jars filled with assorted animal parts that she'd always seen in the movies, it was surprisingly tidy. It was your typical old person house, filled with knick knacks and floral vases. It even had the moth ball smell.

The two of them split up, searching for the mortar where the Loogaroo hid her skin. Andi tried not to think too much about finding someone's skin in a jar as she checked every clay container she came across. Stepping into the small living room, a fireplace just across the room caught her eye. Sitting on top of the mantel was a medium sized clay mortar. Carefully lifting it off the ledge, Andi took a deep breath and lifted the lid only to slam it back on again. Yep. This was it. Setting the jar on one of the end tables, Andi removed the lid once more, took out her bag of salt, and poured it over the skin. How the Loogaroo got an entire human skin into this mortar, Andi would never know.

"Adios, bitch," she said as she struck a match and let it fall into the jar. Blue smoke rolled from the top as the skin began to burn. The Loogaroo should be burning along with it. "Sam! I found it. We can go," Andi called out as she turned and left the skin to smolder on the table. No answer. Instead, she heard a loud thud, as if something heavy had just fallen to the floor. "Sam?" she worriedly called out again, the uneasy feeling she had before returning.

Taking out her gun, she swiftly but quietly made her way in the direction Sam went. Andi walked cautiously down the hallway and could see the youngest Winchester lying face down in the kitchen. She rushed toward Sam but before she could get to him, something hard slammed into her face. Flying backward, her head banged into the hardwood floor. Andi's brain began to fuzz and her eyelids became suddenly heavy but she looked up, trying to see their attacker. Just before her conscious slipped away, the last thing she saw were rows of razor sharp teeth smiling down at her.

Groaning, Sam sat up and rubbed the back his head. What the hell had happened? Thinking back, he remembered he had been looking for the mortar and a vampire took him by surprise. Another one must have snuck up behind him and knocked him out before he could warn Andi… Andi.

Frantic, he jumped up and ran through the house. "Andi!" he shouted as he hurriedly went from room to room. He searched the whole house top to bottom. Not finding her inside, he dashed out to the porch. "ANDI!" he called out again although he knew it was pointless. She was gone.

Going back inside, Sam ran his fingers roughly through his hair. "Shit. Shit. Shit," he muttered angrily. What were vampires doing in the Loogaroo's house? And why would they take Andi and not just kill them? Looking down, he noticed a pistol laying on the floor. Andi's pistol. He bent down and picked it up. It was still slightly warm from where she had gripped it.

Suddenly hopeful, he yanked the keys to the Impala out of his pocket and ran out of the house. If the gun was still warm that meant Andi hadn't been taken that long ago and they still had a chance to find her. He had to get to Dean. Tearing back up the path as fast as he could, he raced to where he and Andi had left the car. Low branches scratched his face and grabbed at his clothes but he ignored them. Arriving at the car in record time, he shoved the key into the ignition and sped down the road toward the city, causing clouds of dirt to billow behind him.

Sam gripped the steering wheel tight as he hastily made his way to the park where Dean was supposed to be waiting. He paid no attention to the stop signs and traffic lights as he flew through the city, somehow not passing any policemen. Trying to avoid the crowds and traffic, he made sure to stay clear of the streets where most of the festivities were happening. Finally, the huge sign indicating the entrance to the park reared up on the left. Sam swerved to the opposite side of the road, narrowly missing an oncoming truck. Turning the car off and yanking the keys out of the ignition, he leaped out and dashed through the archway.

The park was bigger than he expected but fortunately the guy at the farmers market wasn't lying. The silk cotton tree was indeed huge and even from this distance Sam could see it's boughs standing several feet above the other trees. Not wasting anytime, he took off toward where he hoped Dean would be.

* * *

Leaning against the trunk of the gigantic tree, Dean smirked at the other demon who had just appeared before him. Clutching the First Blade, he could feel the power of it flowing through him. The Mark of Cain glowed red and hot on his forearm. Dean had come across many demons but he couldn't recall any who looked like Bazil. Dark, brown hair fell just passed his broad shoulders and was gathered into a pony tail at the nape of his neck. Standing several inches taller than Dean, his olive green shirt was stretched tightly over his chest and muscular arms. A large, bone-handled knife hung in its sheath by his side. He looked more like a male model dressed as Steve Erwin than a demon but Dean had learned a long time ago to never judge a demon by their meat suit.

Even in the dark, he could see Bazil's eyes flickering nervously from his face to the Blade and then back again. Eyes changing to their onyx tint, Dean's grin broadened at his opponent's obvious apprehension. He pushed himself off of the tree, causing Bazil to take an unconscious step backward, and tilted his head in mock greeting.

"Dean Winchester," Bazil said, regaining some composure. His voice was smooth as silk and he spoke with a slight French accent. "I'd heard you'd joined our little family but I didn't quite believe it. To what do I owe the pleasure?" As he spoke, the taller demon's hand had slowly moved toward his knife until it was resting on the handle.

Dean bristled at the comment about his recent change in species but chose to ignore it. Instead, he took another brazen step forward as he answered, "Just taking care of a little Loogaroo problem and thought I'd drop in for a visit. Nip the issue in the bud, you know? No need for any more Loogaroos to pop up in town."

"Now, Winchester. I was just doing my job," Bazil smirked as he held up a hand defensively. He cocked his head in surprise and asked, "You don't mean to tell me that you're still trying to be a hunter? You're a demon now. Once the other hunters, the ones that you call friends, find out, they'll be hunting you. They won't care that you once fought alongside them. You will be the enemy and then it's just a simple matter of kill or be killed." Seeing uncertainty flash across Dean's face, he continued, "But I can help you. Together, we can make you so feared that no hunter would dare come after you or Sam. You could protect your brother. It's time to accept what you are, Dean, and relish in it."

Dean stared hard at the other demon. What Bazil said rang too close to the truth. So far, none of the other hunters knew what he was but it was only a matter of time. How long did he have until they came after him? He'd been in this situation before when Sam was hooked on demon blood. Those hunters hadn't cared that Sam was their friend. They had seen him as a threat that needed to be eliminated. What if they hurt Andi or Sam to get to him? Dean couldn't let that happen. He needed to protect his family.

Shaking his head, Dean chuckled as he realized what was happening. "You smooth talking son of a bitch," he said. "No wonder you were picked to sell the whole Loogaroo crap, you can make just about any deal sound good. Even becoming a powerful old hag in exchange for a little blood." His black eyes hardened as he continued, "I may be a demon now but I am still a hunter. And nothing will stop me from sending your ass back to Hell where it belongs."

Bazil's polite façade dropped as he darkly replied, "Have it your way, Winchester."

Skin tingling with anticipation of the oncoming fight, Dean could feel the change in tension as easily as he could feel the wind on his face. He watched as Bazil drew his own blade. The two began to circle each other slowly. Before either one of them had a chance to attack, Dean could hear someone approaching.

Glancing over quickly, Dean could see his brother running toward him. Something was wrong. Andi wasn't with him. Was she hurt?

"Well, looks like little brother has something on his mind," Bazil said, causing Dean's attention to snap back to him. "You remember what I said, Dean." And then he was gone.

As Sam came up beside him, Dean quickly switched his eyes back to their usual green and turned toward him. "Sam, where's Andi? What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

Sam tried to catch his breath as he answered, "We were at the witch's house looking for the mortar. A vampire knocked me out and when I woke up Andi was gone. They took her."

Dean's blood turned to ice and he felt like someone had just stabbed him in the heart. He couldn't have heard right. Sam must be playing some cruel joke to get back at him for something. But when he looked up at his younger brother, there was no trace of teasing on his face. All he could see was Sam's frantic expression.

Rage quickly replaced the feeling of disbelief. Stomping past Sam, Dean started rapidly toward the direction the younger Winchester had come from and where he assumed Baby was parked. Sam followed him, his longer legs allowing him to keep us easily. "Give me the keys. What did you see?" he questioned roughly. When he didn't answer fast enough, Dean looked over at his brother, his eyes now black, and yelled, "Sam! What. Did. You. See?"

* * *

Andi blinked her eyes to clear away the fog. Her head felt like it was splitting in two and for some reason her wrists and shoulders ached. Where was she? Trying to ignore the pain, she scanned her surroundings and hoped she would figure out what the hell was going on. When her mind finally cleared a bit, she realized she was suspended a few inches off the ground. Someone had tied a rope around her wrists and had attached the other end to a low hanging banister that crossed the length of the room. Only the tips of her toes touched the smooth floor. Well, that explained the pain in her wrists and shoulders.

Trying not to panic, Andi took a deep breath and continued to survey the room. She was clearly in the living room of a log cabin. Smooth wooden boards made up the walls and floor. Pictures of different wildlife were scattered along the walls and a mounted nine-point buck hung near the door to her left. A plush leather sofa and chair were in the middle of the room. A little ways to her right, she could see an immaculate kitchen and a set of French doors that led out to a deck. A bearskin rug lay before a beautiful stone fireplace that dominated most of the wall a few feet in front of her. Just to the right of the fireplace was a small doorway that led to the master bedroom. If she hadn't just been abducted, Andi would have been impressed.

She didn't see any sign of Sam, or anyone else for that matter, and anxiety immediately filled her. He could be hurt or dying and as far as she knew he was all alone. She needed to get out of here and find him. If he wasn't in the cabin then she would just find her way back to the Loogaroo's house and check there. Struggling with the ropes, Andi tried to wriggle at least one of her hands free but it was no use. The ropes were too tight and she didn't have enough leverage.

Hearing a distant whistle followed by a loud crack, Andi looked up at the large windows that started about two-thirds up the wall and came to a point near the ceiling. Fireworks scattered across the night sky. She must not be too far from the city. If she could just get loose, she was sure she could find her way back to Sam. She had just resumed her task when the doors leading to the deck opened.

Andi jerked her head in the direction of the sound. Standing in the doorway was a dark skinned man of medium build. His eyes were ice blue, a startling contrast to ebony skin. Joining him, a thin Asian woman wrapped her arms around his waist. She leaned up and whispered something in his ear, her long black hair flowing over her shoulders. Responding to whatever she said, the man smiled, a cold smile that seemed hauntingly familiar to Andi, and kissed the woman passionately. He then stepped inside and shut the door, leaving her to return to whatever she was doing out on the deck.

Clasping his hands behind his back, the man turned his attention to Andi and began to slink toward her. "Andrea Summers, I've been looking forward to meeting you for a long time now," he said pleasantly, flashing his white teeth at her.

"Should I know you?" she inquired, too curious about who he was to feel afraid.

Chuckling, he stood before her, his eyes drifting slowly down her body. Andi couldn't repress the shiver that went up her spine. When his eyes met hers again, she finally recognized why he seemed so familiar. He reminded her of Jeremy. A vision of sharp fangs smiling down at her as she blacked out at the witch's house flooded her memory.

"You're a vampire," she answered her own question. Andi felt her heart drop down to her stomach. What had they done to Sam? "Where's my friend? How do you know me? What do you want?" she asked rapidly.

Reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, the vamp replied, "One question at a time, Andrea. My name is Elijah. The lovely Kate and I belonged to your former boyfriend's coven. You see, after you escaped, we followed Jeremy from town to town searching for you while the others waited in Boston. We never imagined you would be so hard to find. He naturally wanted to take care of you himself when he tracked you down so Kate and I went on to our rendezvous spot in the next town. It wasn't until a few days later that we found his body buried in the middle of nowhere miles outside of Lebanon. That demon of yours killed our leader, so now I think it's only fair that we return the favor."

Andi's heart was practically beating out of her chest. She was sure Elijah could hear it but she tried not to show how frightened she was. If he was anything like Jeremy, the bastard got off on fear. "Why didn't you just go ahead and kill me? Why bother dragging me out here?" she spat.

"Kill you? Who said anything about killing you?" the vampire asked, eyebrows raising in surprise. "No. I'm not going to kill you. At least not yet. I have something better in mind. Did you know, Andrea, that vampires and Incubuses aren't all that different in their lust for pleasure? As a vampire, everything is intensified. Hunger. Anger. Desire." His voice dropped off to a whisper as his hand drifted up her inner thigh slowly. He smirked at her. Understanding of what he was going to do hit Andi like a ton of bricks. The terrified look on her face only served to excite Elijah. He lifted his shirt over his head and unbuckled his pants, throwing them off to the side. Sliding his other hand under the hem of her shirt, he caressed her soft skin as he continued, "As for your friend, we left him alive to tell your boyfriend about your predicament."

Sam was alive. Andi felt relief wash over her but it was short lived as Elijah ripped her shirt right up the middle. Her eyes widened in horror. Desperately, she drew her legs up and shoved her feet in Elijah's stomach, causing him to stumble backward. He grinned and approached her again. When he got close enough, she reared her head back and slammed it into his nose.

Holding his now bleeding nose, Elijah's eyes flashed angrily. Leaping up onto the banister, he deftly undid the knot that was holding Andi in place. She hit the ground running. Rushing toward the nearest door, she flung it open but just as her feet touched the porch she felt a strong hand grab her hair and jerk her back inside. Elijah drug her through the room and threw her onto the bearskin rug. She rolled over and tried to get away but he just grasped her feet and pulled her back. He was toying with her the way a cat plays with a mouse. He'd let her get away only to trap her again, more clothing being ripped away each time. But she wouldn't give up. She couldn't.

Pinning her still tied wrists above her head, Elijah smiled down at her victoriously. His free hand roamed her body eagerly as his fangs extended. Andi's chest heaved with terror as she continued to struggle. She could feel his length hardening as he straddled her. He was enjoying this. Andi wanted to scream but what was the point? No one would hear her. No one could possibly get here in time. Eyes shining cruelly, Elijah bent down and sank his teeth into her bare shoulder, thrusting himself inside of her at the same time. Pain flared down her arm and up her neck, accompanied by pure shock, causing her to cry out in agony. Wrenching her wrists free of his grasp, she tried to push him off of her but he merely laughed at her as he continued to plunge in and out as hard as he could. Grabbing her hand, he bit down on her wrist. She screamed again.

This was it. She was going to die. Thinking about Dean, she realized she hadn't even told him that she loved him before she left with Sam. And now she was never going to get another chance. Clenching her eyes shut, she tried to hold back the tears.

_I love you, Dean. _


End file.
